Ho ho First!

Ace blog Jerry, as usual.

The game on Sat was very pleasing on the eye. But let’s not get carried away as Burnley were far from impressive.

great blog as usual Gerry. The plans to postpone the stadium is driving everyone nuts. Here I am trying to go see the game at Anfield and have to ask Fatty for a favour to buy a ticket each for the Lyon (20 Oct) and Manure game (25 Oct). If we have a 60,000 seater stadium, I am sure I won’t have as much problem getting the tickets.

Christ 2018? Just in time to use it as a World Cup venue, should England be awarded those finals. More revenue coming in!

Good points Gerry, for sure you have to speculate to accumulate but as you quite rightly say the owners are only interested in making money for themselves.

The new sponsorship deal is supposed to be bringing the new stadium a step closer. We shall see.

Yes, we need to make light work of our Hungarian visitors tomorrow night to keep the feel good factor going. Victory by a 2 goal margin at West Ham will have sitting in 2nd place in the table on Saturday evening.

Hello everyone

I am a Liverpool fan and I am from India. I admit my username is not very deceptive.

Gerry, I have been following your blog for over 2 years. Great stuff. Thanks for your thoughts. I have not commented a lot (and that makes me Lazy!!!).

I was in UK last week (my first visit incidentally). I was disappointed to see the negative impact of the media. I met a mate of mine (not a big football fan) who said “Ohh!! you follow Liverpool but arent they a racist club!!).

When I probed further, I realized he was reading usual “liverpool bashing” in the media. While I was able take him through the right facts, I am sure there are many other who get such distorted facts served up.

Please do, therefore, continue to share anything and everything about Liverpool on this blog. My special thanks to Fat Scouser for that. I know, I know, you like to run away from the “knee jerkers” sometimes. But do stay. It is very helpful.

Waiting for Champions league to begin

Hey Gerry,

Great blog as always. Surprised you didn’t mention the new sponsorship deal. I for one think it’s a brilliant bit of business done by our new MD Christian Purslow and just goes to show what a shite job Parry was doing. The deal is colosal compaired to 7m a year we we’re getting off Carlsberg and puts it on par with the scums new deal and rightly so concidering our fan base around the world.
The Burnley game was very satisfying and once we scored the first goal there was no looking back. I think that’ll be a huge factor this season at home, the first goal. I think we should be going all out to get it against the lesser teams at home straight from the whistle and that’s why we (imo) we had such success during the second half of the season 08/09. There heads drop, we grow in confidence. Happily Rafa and the boys are starting to do it again.

Bring on Debreceni.
PS I see your slipping a few places in the fantasy football, The Tic Tacs FC are catching, bewarned!!!! lol

Slan, Val.

Good blog Gerry, when Hicks opened his fat face the other week, I said the same thing about the stadium meself but never went into that sort of detail. To be honest, I didn’t even think it all through.

My point was… why are we waiting for an economic upturn when it would be cheaper to build now? Add to that the fact, that they’ve been given money to build it, wouldn’t they want to get it done cheaply as possible?

My only real point in it all was pointing out to the last few that had any faith in them, that they was still being hoodwinked. But then, there’s not really many that don’t know that. And surely, our transfer activities have finally proved once and for all that they are here for no other reason than to milk this club for all they can.

When Hicks came out with the “Stadium will get built” blag, and then Gillette started with the “great financial situation,” I couldn’t work out why they was at it again.

Now Purslow’s picked up the baton and has been spouting off today about the sponsorship deal meaning more money can be given to Rafa – which wouldn’t be that big of a deal seeing he hasn’t been given a fucking light up till now.

But the thing is… I still can’t work out why they are spouting this shit.

They know quite well that no one is falling for it anymore. They know quite well that there’s no point in trying to endear themselves to fans, as they know how hated they are.

So why bother spouting this guff again?

They’re not thick. They know that any promises are only met with derision now. How many millions have they spent on the new stadium? I’ll have to look that up actually, although there’s no way they’ll allow actuall figures to show what robbing bastards they are.

But for what ever that amount is, we’ve had the return of 2 drawings (That last I heard had cost 10 million) and we’ve had the portaloo, a bit of fencing and an auld fella with a shovel in Stanley Park.

Actually I wish you could have seen that. I should have got a picture. If it wasn’t for the fact that we are getting raped for that, it would be hilariously funny.

But here’s the rub… like it says in the blog, there’s not much point in going on about it as it just fills the place with doom and gloom. But like I’ve said before, I think people should always keep this situation in mind when commenting, especially moaning, and, for one, I’ll be quietly keeping an eye on the situation.

Robbing bastards – I hate them.

PS… Thanks for the nice words, Indian Red, but half the time I just talk shite cos I’ve nothing better to do. Maybe I should ring Hicks and see if he wants me to lean on a shovel in Stanley Park while things are slow for me.

Oh shit after all that, it looks like I’m being very unfair to our Custodians.

A mate just texted me to say H&G have been onto their Rooffa, and, apparently because of the big money they’ve just raked in, in the next transfer window they are going to give him double what they gave him during the last one!

It looks as though I’ll have to call them Redskins now instead of Indians here in Canada – welcome “Indian Fan”.
Benny was very good at West Ham and I was always a big fan of him when I saw their games.
I must admit that I was mystified when Rafa didn’t give him much playing time,so I was very pleased when he got the Liverpool Rafa system into his blood.
Changing the subject-now that Lucas is much better,perhaps Rafa will play him more against the more cultured clubs and Mascherano against the more roughhouse clubs-let’s face it Masher goes in where angels fear to tread!
Bad news about the new stadium in more ways than one since I’m now in my 80′s.
Ah well,keep the comments coming lads,especially FS, (no lasses?-maybe it’s the strong language) and remember YNWA.

Super stuff Gerry,

The more money the bloodsuckers bring in will only mean it will be more for them to bleed from our club.Looks like we are stuck with them now,like it or not so Rafa will have to soldier on with the usual “£20 million plus sales”.

I have to differ with you Gerry when you say Babel might start.Without going over old ground i`m sure he`ll have to earn his place from the starting line-up through encouraging sub appearences.

I beleive the transfer fund was used to reduce the debt as was a condition by the banks to re-finance.
Gerry’s simple maths in relation to additional revenue versus the cost of the build is correct bur banks are not lending at the moment and not to level of funds that are required to build the stadium.
With the reduced debt (our transfer kitty) and the new shirt deal, they are either trying to sweeten the banks or maybe max the value of the club for any potential sale

Sorry Jack. Can’t help meself just a rough arsed scallywag from Kirkdale, and then moved to Kirkby when I was 12. So there’s about as much chance of me not swearing as there is of H&G getting the ale in.

What usual 20 is that Tim? They haven’t given him a bean.

Corky – they already had a loan that was supposed to go on the stadium. It was part of the original loan. Of which 10 million quid was supposed to be spent on 2 bloody drawings, god only knows how much on the old boy, his spade, his portaloo and fence in Stanley Park. And there’s still 10 million quid that’s completely disappeared with no accounting for.

But you don’t have to summise anything. You only have to look at their past dealings. We are the new Weetabix and every single one of us who spends any money whatsoever on the club are paying for the priviledge of them being our custodians.

Wish they’d have bought Shredded Weet instead. They could have got them lovely Nanna’s to knit Rafa some 12 pound notes.

Hello all,

First time on here so go easy on me,

In regards to G(ombeen)and H(uckster), I think what their saying is that because of the recession blah blah, they have lost alot of money on shares etc.. which is why you see them selling off their assets, and they got screwed on the refinacing deal – so they’ll wait until the can get a better deal from another bank

In regards to the game, good win, good performance but thats how it should be against the lower tier teams, we shouldn’t get carried away just yet – our two games against upper tier teams ended in defeat but always look on the bright side no draws yet !

Jack made a good point. There doesn’t seem to be any girls whatsoever in our blog. Well except for FS when he has a cob on with me.

I said that tounge in cheek FS should have added a smily or something.

You know me better rhan that mate

LB, i remember one girl, cant think of her name though but for some reason think she was south african, dont know why!! Either way, she threw a strop and hasnt been seen since!!

There might not be any girls in here, but there’s a fair few big girl’s blouses!

FS don’t take this as a personal attack coz it isn’t…. but when did you get so much faith in people’s ability to see H&G for what they are??

You’ve stated a few times in recent weeks, that “no one is buying their bullshit” or words to that effect.

I know you probably don’t mean it that way, but cast your mind back to mid-season last year and how many people were actually giving H&G “props” for having invested in players like Torres and Babel and Keane, etc.

I’d say better than 70% of the lads in here are smart enough to know the score… and I’d put it at that high a figure because many of them (me included) have had the benefit of the research you FS, and a few others have done and posted in here… but outside of that percentage, and out there in the “real world” you’ve got people like Indian’s mate who get their “knowledge” from Sky, The Sun and the Daily Mirror!
(It would be mind-boggling… if these people had minds)

Just watch… it won’t be too long before people (some of the one’s you think aren’t fooled by any of this FS) are buying into this latest batch of PR hook-line-n-sinker and telling us to have faith in H&G coz they seem to be doing right by LFC.

Welcome Indian Fan, good to hear from you mate.

Val – I’ve done a little writing on the next blog which will be titled, “Probably The Worst Sponsor in the World” and as you can probably guess from that it involves that new sponsorship deal and why I think it may not be so great(ish). But I’m waiting until I see how we get on against the goulash munchers before I finish it.

FS – I meant to say thanks to you for those links you posted on the last blog. I watched all of that old Home and Away programme and it did bring back a lot of memories. I was actually living and working in London at the time of that final and was at the game but I didn’t manage to get to the replay. I actually had a couple of Evertonians friends of mine that came down to stay at my place for the weekend of the game and we had a brilliant time. Afterwards as I staggered home by myself in the wee small hours, I got jumped on by four or five Arsenal fans (I lived quite close to Highbury) and they kicked the living shit out of me. But that’s the way it went sometimes in those days and it didn’t take away from the fact that it was still a great day. Unfortunately the bumps and bruises I ended up with meant I didn’t get to the replay.

Funny in here tonight. Timmy, I wasn’t in the frock that I wear when going after LB, so didn’t mean to bite. Got to admit though, I lose me sense of humour once that pair get mentioned. In fact, I’ll probably lose me mind if I keep seeing them get defended… Aitch you’re right. Some knobheads do indeed believe that they have the best interests of the club to heart. I’d like to think we at least know better in here.

Oh well, what can you do.

And what’s with the yearning for the girls? Thank fuck there’s a few last places where you can get away from them. And anyway, if Gerry can’t batter 4 or 5 Arsenal fans on his own – I’d say we’ve got one running the place!

Nah. Jokes aside, that’s shite that. I hated that malarkey in football. Sorry to hear you kopped it Gerry. Shithouses they are. Sad thing is, there’s horrible bastards trying to bring it back again.

At Tottenham me drunken mate near got us both filled in on the tube, only a bit of humour saved us. About 5 of them got round us, with some big fat tart egging them on and taking the piss out of us…. “Calm Down! Calm Down!”
I felt like calming her down with a swift kick up her boxer shorts. But I don’t know why, I just said “Oh eh up, it’s Harry Enfield and Chums.”

Thank fuck the lads started laughing and was alright with us. Waynetta wasn’t best pleased though.

Gerry glad you watched that Home and Away. Good times. Try to watch that Golden Vision an all though. It’s about Bluenoses. Jack probably remembers the Golden Vision – Alex Young. Great player for the bluenoses. But it’s a great little look at a time gone by and it could make a cat laugh.

Nice one gerry always love coming on to find a new blog and watch what little feuds are gonna break out over the next 230 odd comments. I’m delighted benny is getting a good run now I’ve always liked him an he’s taking his chance with both hands. I think(fingers crossed) he could make himself into a bit of a legend with us. I dont think babel has had a good as chance as him but as I’ve said before wrong place wrong time for that lad and pretty sure its his last season with us.
Anyway I’m feeling good about the team momentum right now an hopefully where gonna go on a fantastic run, looking forward to this next blog you’ve got me intrigued i was buying into all the bullshit as to how good its gonna be so your stance on it should give me some food for thought.

I wasn’t going to post this. I’m at the point where everything they say just knocks me sick. But if you fancy being mugged off a bit more, here’s Hicks latest spin…
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/wires/09/15/2080.ap.soc.liverpool.hicks.0823/index.html

Wish they’d just shut the fuck up. Well, wish they’d just fuck off. But seeing we’re stuck with them until like George said, when he slipped up last week, someone comes along with bundles of cash, I wish they’d just stop trying to con people anymore.

I found the bit about City the funniest…
“It’s not sustainable at City, they won’t continue to invest like that as it doesn’t make good economic sense,” Hicks said. “Hopefully they will make the improvements they need to make and then run it more like a business.”

What Tom, you mean their owners will pump in loads of dosh until they are winning trophies and have a squad full of international super stars and then they’ll stop spending so much, and even make a few quid when the team is winning things?

Fuck me, what a terrible plan, eh?

Just watching the Chavs, playing in front of a half empty stadium, Porto fans pissing all over them on the terraces and Porto giving them a hard time on the pitch.

Note to Tom: a few quid almost turned these sad bastards into a proper football club.

Hey FS, I can simpathize with our Gerry… Four 14 year old Girls in Arsenal shirts kicked the shit out of me once. (maybe they were just mad about no longer having their virginity in tact at 14? or is that just Chav girls?)
(DOH!)

Is it just me, or is Sir Benny of the Onion starting to look more and more like Peter Beardsley?

Gerry, it would be interesting to search through your archives and take note of all the dickheads who 2 seasons ago were talking about how Benny was too lightweight for the Prem, not good enough for a top 4 side, wouldn’t get into any other top four side, and all the other drivel they spout about some of the other current team members!

Might make them think twice, if they were called on it, to spout that shit about some other players.

I’d welcomea few women in here. Anyone know where we can find any??

Open a few bloody lorries up instead of drinking tea and reading the paper

Don’t get to see too many lorries at Heathrow FS!

Still, could be worse.

Hey Lurgan,

been down the west coast a bit last few days. All good, plenty of fish, a few swims. Like the place but I have got to get more of the lingo sorted.

H & G = MONEY in their pockets … We are not on the same planet as these muppets let alone singing from the same hymnsheet. They’ll go merely on their way making it up as they go along.

However our reality is quite clear now. Rafa has to do it with the players and squad he has. Any money will come from his wheeling and dealing. FS is right (again .. boring) as mascher’s transfer will most likely fund next summer’s spend. The one thing is though anyone coming here will know the deal. It’s not a rich boys playground no, it’s a hard working team with no show-ponies. I reckon in a curious kind of way it could work out by really creating a stronger bond between the players themselves and the club and it’s supporters. darl cloud – silver lining, sliver of silver at that!

GO REDS You Will Never Walk Alone!!!!!!!

Brazil!!!!!

Liverpool, the biggest before Flamengo of corse.
Go Reds

I don’t believe a word about the money being pumped into Rafa from the standard charter deal. It’s funny how they quote Rafa being extremely happy about the situation when not one word to that effect has been heard from the gaffa himself.

Keep the talk going pepe, cos I am sure rafa was a much happier man when he heard our custodian speaking out rather than this deal.

I was having a talk with a friend of mine who is an M&A consultant over here, and he said when you look at the sad situation like liverpool are in, where there has been a takeover by a vulture and you can’t expect them to commmit themselves financially other than to suck all the money out and then exit, the solution should be that the original owners (sellers) should return their money as compensation because they are also responsible as well. For me, that makes total sense. Leaving out prick parry, we all know that Moores was also lied to to an extent, but responsibility-wise, if he feels that he let the ownership go to someone he shouldn’t have, he should have the decency to emmerse himself in redemption.

Sorry lads after a wonderful win and on the eve of our champions league game, but it really pisses me off when the board comes out with this crap about providing funds to rafa– and using kenny to back themselves up.

Again, the press moans on and on about zonal marking. Today soccernet even has an analysis saying why it’s fatal for Rafa.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=676390&sec=uefachampionsleague&root=uefachampionsleague&cc=4716

Even with all the facts that Liverpool has one of the best defences in the Premier League last season, this Kevin Palmer clown still chooses to ignore that everytime Liverpool concedes goals. Hiddink may got his tactics right by hounding the back four on the get go, but how does Palmer explain why the Scum (only 1 penalty) and Real Madrid couldn’t do the same to us?

That said, at least it’s comforting to know that most of the readers in the comment section (so far, not including the biased Scums and Bluenoses, who have yet to post) aren’t fooled by the blatantly biased lies that clown Palmer churns out of his arse, and promptly stuffed their rods up his pathetic arse.

Well for starters kinny, the reason why the mancs and el galacticos failed miserably is because they both have crap managers!

But seriously, this agenda against us and rafa is just beyond tolerance. I know it has always been there, but I just feel out of all our gaffers (barring champagne charlie cos he deserved it), rafa has been getting it the worst.

You guys want to listen to Supersport here in South Africa: Shaun Bartlett, Gary Bailey, Terry Paine MBE, Andre Arendse…they can’t give Rafa a break, and critisize his every selection incl zonal marking etc. Tried calling in several times to give them a right bolloking, but 20 mins holding on the phone winds me up even more. Bacon Face can’t put a foot wrong in their eyes, and all the crap that comes out of their mouths just adds fuel to the ‘knee jerkers’. Mind you, old Tel is not too bad – he talks more sense than the lot of them put together.

Morning lads. Yes, it’s a disgrace how our press treat Rafa. I’m not really sure why. Well, I know it’s one of 2 reasons…
A: He’s manager of Liverpool – the team they love to hate.
B: Johnny Foriegner – who the bloody hell does he think he is coming over here and telling us how to run our game.

The thought of being connected to them lot by association is enough to make me ashamed to be English. But look at the difference to how they treat Rafa compared to Ferguson, Allardyce and Redknapp. Or, as they like to say, Sir Alex, BIG SAM and Appy Arry. It’s disgraceful.

3 men who’ve been caught with their hands stuck in the till on many occasions. 3 fellas who constantly show the disgusting corrupt side of their nature and constantly are caught in cahoots together but never have a bad word said about them.

Well, all I can say is, don’t expect it to change. The only way Rafa will ever be given any respect is to win things, but even then he won’t be given it.

Thank god the man is so thick skinned and determined. Most men would have wilted by now, and make no mistake – that is what they all want.

I don’t read Chelsea or Man U match reports. I can barely watch either unless they are playing us. But I flicked between the 2 of them on telly last night. From the little I saw both struggled against not the greatest opposition. But on Talk Shite and Sly Sports News this morning the usual cack is being wheeled out… Professional performance, job done, Scholes rises from the ashes. You know the sort of shit I mean.

If we win by 1 tonight, you know what it will be… Liverpool nearly beat by no marks, Rafa get’s it wrong, Liverpool are shite.

It’s just the way it is.

Dougle, it’s not as if it’s hard to deduce mate. It’s along the lines of, if it waddles and it quacks, it’s probably a Duck. The only thing that is bothering me, as I said before, is why they are coming out with all this spin and PR. I suppose it’s just a case of fat mouthed liars unable to stop themselves any longer. But I feel there’s something more worrying about it.

I mean, take a look at this…
A month or so before the end of the season, Rafa is supposed to be getting 2o plus million, 12 to 16 million from the Keane sale and what ever he raised in sales.

A couple of weeks later we are skint and he can’t even have what he’s raised on sales – are we to believe something happened over night that changed all that?

Well, as far as I know, a sponsorship deal of this size must have taken months to get in place and work out. But only a couple of weeks ago, Rafa had to cause mayhem again to get the money for The Jolly Greek Giant. And now we are supposed to believe that he will get some of the sponsor money!

Wonder what excuse they are working on right now. It doesn’t matter because I know the real truth. You all do. Hicks told us it when he first came… “Success doesn’t have to mean success on the field. We just need brand loyalty for success.”

Meaning, our custodians are happy to see us keep finishing in the top four and getting to the later stages of the Champion’s League. And won’t make the investment that it takes to go the final step to winning both.

Sorry to be the doom and gloom merchant lads. But it’s the truth and it can’t be ignored. But it’s obvious any success we have will be despite of them not because of them.

Thank fuck there’s some footy tonight.

Eagerly awaiting yer next posting to see what ye have to say bout the stan chart deal, gerry.

How many fans here agree with FS that the stadium will never be built as long as them asset-strippers are in charge?

I fer one believe that unless someone with seriously deep pockets take over, we will be grumbling bout this pair of jerk offs fer a long time to come.

Forgive me ignorance, but can any of ye highlight what are the stumbling blocks to actually increasing Anfield’s capacity?

Has it got to do with residents not wanting to sell up the properties nearest to the stadium?

got this from the echo:

Hicks expects manager Rafa Benitez to be contacting him and managing director Christian Purslow about using some of the revenue (from Stanchart) to buy players in the January transfer window.

“Knowing Rafa Benitez I suspect he’s got his eye on part of it,” Hicks said. “As we build our revenues it gives ability to be more competitive on the pitch and, this is a very important one, but we think we have other opportunities in the future.”

Redneck, please don’t tell me you believe any of that shit? But if you do, I’ve got a car for sale, lovely little runner, low mileage, one little old lady owner, only used to collect her pension and come home once a fortnight.

Oh well, I’m off out, but meant to say this earlier… Steve, I was coming back from Barcelona a few seasons go and customs pulled me. They do everytime, must have something to do with the robber’s dog face on me. Anyway, they looks in me bag, and he starts tugging away at the red cloth. Loads and loads just spilling out. He gave me a weird look but then realised it was a flag. He says to me, have you been to Barcelona?
I says yes. He asks did I have a ticket? I said yes. He calls me all the jammy buggers going, said he’d tried for one for ages, and then get this… he gets me to lay the flag out so he can get a look at it. Then calls all his mates over to see it, and… fuck me, they hung it up and all got their pictures taken with it. They was honestly made up with it and it was a right laugh watching them all. Good lads.

So if you ever end up working at Bournemouth airport, you’ll be in good company.

Knight… just had a phone call. Your tickets to both the Man U and Lyon games are 99.99% percent sorted out. So, barring some unseen event, you have got them.

You might have to pay £20 or so over face value for the Man U game, but believe me my friend… you’ve just had a small little miracle happen for you there.

That’s a nice story FS, brilliant stuff.

I doubt very much if I’ll ever get the chance to move to Bournemouth, but my brother’s in-laws live there and I know it’s a nice town and from what I can see the council keep it clean and tidy.

You were lucky those Customs guys weren’t Mancs or Chavs, eh?

I have met many footballers past and present (remember I told you about Beckham a few months ago) but as yet no LFC players past or present.

When Liverpool returned from the world club championship in Japan (Jan 2006) a colleauge of mine got to escort the team from their flight arriving at Heathrow to their connecting flight to Manchester. The jammy git, he wasn’t even a Red, supports Crystal Palace the soft twat!

That was a big miss for me, I asked him if I could go instead but he wouldn’t have it. Twat!

I would love to meet any LFC player of course, past or present but the one I am really hoping to have a quick chat with and thank him for all the joy he gave me as a young supporter is Kenny Dalglish. I absolutely idolised that man and although I am now 46 years old with grown up children myself, you know what, I still idolise him! What a tremendous man to have as the clubs ambassador. A gentleman who truely loves Liverpool Football Club.

I was real happy to see Lucas play Masch’s role, alongside a more offensive Gerrard. He benefited from the Captain’s experience and it took the burden of creating off his young shoulders. It made me rethink about two of our players, Voronin being the other.

It might be that Lucas is suited to the holding role, but with a little more offensive liberty than the Monster. Similarly, Voronin might be a more creative type than deployment as a centre-forward. His pass for Benayoun’s third (and our fourth) was superb. His glaring miss after that sought of showed he lacks a natural striker’s cold and clinical touch. This doesn’t make the two players, and possibly a host of others, useless in Liverpool’s game plan.

Something else, in a 4-2-3-1 system that has served us so well, I’ve suggested Benayoun can play Alonso’s role in the “2″ part, but since he loves drifting, he’s actually more suited to play a no. 10s, the trequartista, right in the hole (and off the shoulder) behind our centre-forward. He’s creative and drifty, as seen in his tendency to cut inside. By cutting inside and advancing he also opens the door for whoever’s playing in his flank – ideally Insua/Aurelio or the Doss (on the left) or GJ on the right. We might have just replaced Alonso from our bench! Of course, the untried Aquilani will give us even more options when fit, as will Aurelio. We’re NOT a two-man team and our depth is quite deceptive too.

I’ve decided I’ll not comment much (if at all) on the “objective” media coverage the Reds draw, nor on our Messrs G & H. I’ve already spoken too much on that.

I love what you’ve written on building the stadium. While none of us is a builder, there’s no ideal time to build and it looks like now’s just that time. To borrow from advertising, more is done when economies are down, because the wise target the boom that follows with the regularity of seasons. This might be the window of opportunity.

I still harbor fears of our money from our new sponsor being lapped up by the owners to repay the debt they’ve already saddled us with.

Next up are the Magyars, Debreceni. As always I have to thank our valiant warriors for the “easy” Burnley result. We keep moving forward. Thanks Rafa, thanks to our squad too.

Let’s keep the faith and refuse to ever walk alone.

Wow. I bet Rafa can’t wait to get his hands on double fuck all in the next window. That should buy us twice as many nobodies. May be the owners are being fiscally responsible by only allocating a considerable portion of nothing to the player purchasing budget. Maybe that’s what they call sustainable management.
.
How the hell did they buy this club. Moore you fuckwit.

Ps is our new stadium a fictious place where Snoogy Doogy and his friends can play. Afterall if Rafa wants Snoogy Doogy or any other fictious animated creature, the budgets their, ready to go.

Building the stadium requires vision and long term commitment. H&G do not have that. My bet, therefore, is that they will not build any time soon, possibly never at all.

The commitment required of the owners can be substantial. Of the total of 430 mn pounds that Arsenal spent on Emirates, only 60% (~260 mn) came from debt. The remaining (though Arsenal annual report does not talk about it) must have come from owners pocket (equity).

The stadium also needs owners to be patient. The returns in financial terms will be slow in coming. Arsenal generates additional 15 mn cash after servicing the debt on Emirates. It will take time for owners to recoup the investment of ~170 mn and at the same time invest in the club.

Therefore, secretly, I hope we build stadium under some strong owners and not under H&G. I admit, I do not know who that would be.

Just read a small article in the Irish Independent, one of the least rafa / LFC papers I read, but the article was about Lucas, and was actually complimentary, stated that he has ‘taken his chance to shine’ on Alonso’s absence, pointed out a little known truth that as he was signing on the dotted line for us at £6M, a group representing Man U were on a flight to brazil to try and sign him.
But the reason for me writing this is something I missed during the game on Saturday, suppose its hard to notice this stuff on tv, but apparently when he went to take a corner suring the match, the crowd in the corner gave him a standing ovation – now that’s what supporting LFC and our players is all about in my opinion.
Actually, here’s the article.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/champions-league/lucas-vows-to-repay-faith-as-kop-change-tune-over-rafas-boy-1887205.html

that should have read ‘one of the least anti rafa….’

FS, fair play for sorting out the Man U tickets for knight, when I saw his post I figured he’d have no hope.

Before I get started, this is not a defense of Dumb and Dumber.

I disagree in that I think G&H will eventually get the stadium built. They’ve shown a track record of doing that with their “franchises” in the States and I think they realize it needs to be done if they want to sell.

I can’t picture a potential buyer dumping £400-450 million’ish into the club and then looking at having to build a stadium on top of it. That dynamic changes once the stadium is built.

The reason they haven’t started is because they can’t find a bank willing to lend them more money. We read that their current lender demanded that they pay down the debt on the club in order to refinance their current deal.

I know that the stadium funds will not come out of their own pockets, but I think they need the banks to soften their stance on lending cash before they can get started.

I only hope Mr. Jack Hill is around to see it built.

Back to Puchong Red’s comment in #34, why is the redevelopment of Anfield not an option?

My fear of moving to a new stadium is that we will lose our 12th man, which is the noise and atmosphere the crowd generates at “Fortress Anfield”. I fear that an architect will not be able to replicate the sound that’s in the current stadium.

I have to bloody well sit with West Ham fans at Upton Park on Saturday. I’ve done it before. Faked disappointment when our Cisse scored the winner. This time I should go in my colours. Scarf wrapped around one hand, shirt wrapped around the other. Bare chested. Arms held aloft like Adebayor the other day. Chanting Fields of Anfield Road at the top of my lungs.

How you think that will go down lads?

Know just how you feel London, I’m sitting with the Leeds fans next week. Can anyone lend me a flat cap and a whippet! It might get a bit hairy I tell thee.
Anyone else going from Liverpool?

LB, you’d better provide us with your parent’s address so we can make sure they get our cards of condolence!

And Sam, I’m sorry to pick on you, but Watch The Fuckin Games will you, please.
You’re not the only one who has been repeating this 4-2-3-1 thing and Lucas playing as a holding midfielder.

The only time that has been the case this season so far, was against Spurs and then only after the Carra/Skrtel injury collision.
Prior to that Lucas had been playing further up field, as he has done in all the games so far. The double injury prevented Johnson and Insua getting forward and caused Lucas to drop back next to Masch to protect our wobbly center-backs.

Further more, in the first half against Burnley, it was Stevie G that was sitting deep holding in the “Masch role” and Lucas playing forward. They switched off after half-time.

Come on guys. Stop buying into lazy media rhetoric.

And Puchong… I don’t have exact details for you, but Yes Anfield has pretty much been developed as much as it can be. I recall there being the possibility of redeveloping one of the stands to increase capacity by as much as 10,000, without increasing the stadium footprint, but the cost would be prohibitive for the benefit.

Any development beyond that would require relocating residents… none of whom are willing to be moved on from their homes.
Sure, you’d think they’d do the right thing and move on for the sake of LFC but some of those homes have been in the family for generations.

There’s also an issue of increased traffic in the area, that any increased capacity would create. Access for additional Cars, Buses and Trains has to be considered before such development can be approved and I believe I read somewhere, that we are maxed out on that too.

Ivcjmac, sorry mate but I have to tell you this… you have just made 2 of the funniest posts I have ever seen on this blog.

Please don’t take it as an insult. It’s not meant to be, but mate…
1:H&G will never ever build a Stadium in Liverpool. End of story. I shall tell you exactly what they will do… they will stay for as long as it takes – whether that’s tomorrow morning or until they have to pick up the cheque with arthritic claws for hands just depends on how long it takes for someone to come up with enough money to satisfy they’re greed.

In the meantime, they shall sit back and rack off any money they possibly can while still servicing the debt. Their only interest whatsoever is the team is keeping it in the top four and qualifying for the later stages of the Champion’s League, at least the last 16. And honest mate, that is it. They are not interested in anything else at all.

I get your drift. I understand your logic. And to most people it would make perfect sense – build stadium, increase profits, improve equity in the club, maximise price of sale.

But that is not in their business plan.

Funny enough, here’s something that proves it… I don’t know when you was last at Anfield Aitch. But believe me mate, them days are gone. You are right that people wouldn’t sell their houses but you want to see it there now… it’s looks like Hiroshima. Little by little the club bought lots of the houses in the surrounding area and let them fall into complete rack and ruin. This forced others to sell, to the point where they couldn’t sell. Lots of people lost money. They just moved on. The council let the area fall into complete decay. It’s a disgrace there.

I actually saw a very posh family, all decked out in their new LFC merchandise, walking back to their car, taking photographs of the decay and taking the piss out of Liverpool and Scousers. If it wasn’t for the kids, I would have punched the fella.

But the point being, the area is bollacksed. This is one of the reasons why the council finally agreed to give LFC a huge part of Sefton Park – a very historical landmark.

Anybody know that Central Park in New York City is an almost carbon copy of Sefton Park but on a much larger scale?

It’s built by the same architect, and he just copied the one he’d made earlier in Liverpool. It used to be a grand place. But that’s another story.

Anyway, LFC have been trying to winkle the residents around the ground out for a long time, late 70′s. They down it around the Kemlyn Rd and then redeveloped the stand. But after that they just kept letting it fall into rack and ruin. Quite disgusting really.

Anyway, the council have given up Sefton Park. They were ready to meet a large part of the costs. They offered even more money when we got the Capital of Culture money. And there was even grants available from the EU and the Lottery Commission.

Add that to the fact that, there will never be a cheaper time to build than in the current recession and you can see that H&G have no intentions whatsoever of ever building a stadium.

What they will do is, keep milking our money, forcing out more and more locals, as they have been doing with the new ticketing schemes, and bringing in more and more of the type of people who I just mentioned – who get in there with their cameras ready and then get disappointed when they look for the ever decreasing 12th man.

The Sandon pub – the birth place of LFC – has even been handed over to the corporates and ordinary fans can’t even have a pint in there on match days.

Reclaim The Kop begged, pleaded, negotiated, fought and battled the club to hand over 2 blocks of the Kop to local season ticket holders. It was a long hard battle to get that sorted. It’s the only area of the ground that you hear singing from in normal league matches. It’s the area that gets the others going at the bigger games. All the flags come from there, but are dotted round the Kop. It’s the part of the ground where opposition to H&G is at it’s strongest. Have a guess what will go next?

Nothing is sacred.

And if you think H&G will not try to winkle out the last of the locals read this…

SOS had a meeting last week. Battle plans have been drawn. H&G have been notified that they are now longer welcome in the city. They have been warned that whenever they try to visit they will be greeted at John Lennon airport by pickets that will attempt to stop them from leaving the airport and entering the city. They have been told they are no longer welcome at Anfield and should they try to enter they will be blocked.

Leaflets were handed out at the Burnley game to tell fans of the actions planned. Now if only we could get the posh kids in their new scarves and hats to put away their video cameras… but oh, hang on. We can’t even get them to sing YNWA.

Sorry lads, but that’s the truth of the situation. Not a pretty picture.

But Galway, thanks for the heads up mate. It is a miracle that I got Knight a Man U ticket from a decent local for only an extra 20 quid to cover his expenses…. There’s not many left. Try going on line, see what they are going for. Sadly this is what is happening to our club. And maybe now when I have my moan about then and now – you will know I’m not just being a grumpy old bastard who’s living in the past.

Here you go, from the SOS meeting last weekend…

The Spirit of Shankly Supporters’ Union met at The Olympia on Saturday to allow the Management Committee to launch its proposed direct action campaign to see the American “owners” removed from the Club.

The campaign is to send a clear and unequivocal signal to the owners that they are no longer welcome at our airport, hotels, restaurants, ground, club or city. The campaign will focus upon media profile, leafleting, billboards and banners.

We plan protests, banners and chanting at the Debrecen game this Wednesday, at West Ham next Saturday (if you are going please get in touch with Jay McKenna at [email protected]) and the away game at Leeds United (which will have a special resonance bearing in mind we are moving towards being “the next Leeds”).

In addition we are asking for anyone who can help with intelligence on their proposed arrival within the city for matches to let us know as far in advance as possible. This will lead to direct, non-violent action, to prevent them from getting from their planes to their hotels, from their hotels to restaurants or pubs, from getting close to our ground, from getting into the ground and if in the ground, to consider disruption within there too.

Sorry in case of any confusion that’s an official anouncment from last weekend’s SOS meeting.

Fuckinell, I remember being a Kopite was such fun. Even in the trophyless years under Shankly and after Dalglish, I done nothing but laugh and enjoy it. And right now we should all be talking about tonight’s game, getting excited about the coming CL competition and our chance of winning it.

Honest lads, you’ve no idea how much I’d love for them to just fuck off – even if it’s just to never have to talk like this anymore.

Well, I’m off to watch the match now. But I wanted to add this… Don’t go thinking I’m a Zenophobe or whatever the word is on a local level.

Liverpool FC and Kopites were always proud of the fact that we had fans all over the world. I’ve talked often about this in here, and I wouldn’t come in here if I thought Anfield should only be for Scousers.

You have to understand that there is a difference between the likes of you lads in here and the Day Trippers that I am talking about. No doubt, if you get to Anfield you will want photographs. You will want to call friends and family from inside the ground and let them hear the crowd around you.
There’s no problem with that.

You have to understand that since the invention of The Premiereship and they hype of Sky, going to a football match has become the thing to do. People treat it like a night at the theatre… just and event to go and see and something to chat about in the office on Monday.

You would be shocked to see some of the sites I have seen in there – a woman knitting. Yes. I kid you not – a rather youngish woman knitting while the game was going on. Once, six women in Yashmaks had a Steward ask me to quiten down. I tell no lie. Can I protest? Of course I can’t. I am then a racist.

And I could go on, but my only point is… don’t get the wrong idea from any of that what I posted. It’s not out of town/country fans that are to be blamed. I know Scots, Irish and Norwegian fellas who have been going to Anfield since the 70′s. There’s no more passionate fans.

The problem is the prawn sandwich brigade that get bigger and bigger every year, and will one day reduce Anfield to the state of Karaoke that you see at Old Trafford.

It’s sort of like Tourists wanting to go on Safari and keep doing so until they’ve wiped out all the Elephants they went to see. And here’s the worst thing about it… when we win the league it will get even worse!

If I see another short corner I’m gonna do my fucking nut!

great blog Gerry

Frustrated with me streaming

any ideas lads?

Over

Lacklustre display that was. Decent in patches but a lack of urgency shown most of the time. Will need to up the tempo at West Ham that’s for sure.

According to the commentator, that’s our 100th Champion’s league/european cup win. Nothing much more to say about it really.

Just one of them games when nobody can get up for it, players and fans. I’ve seen hundreds of them over me lifetime, and loads of them in our first European game of the season, but job done anyway.

Really happy to see Aurelio back, especially as Insua had a bad game and I think it’s time to give the kid a rest.

Would have took Kuyt off on the hour and gave Babel a run, but I suppose with it only being 1 – 0 Rafa didn’t want to chance it.

Oh well, roll on West Ham.

They will be nothing like that at Upton Park LB. You must have seen loads of them games yourself. You just get them over with and move on.

I’ll take the 3 points but what team was I watching today? It certainly wasn’t the one that thrashed Burnley 4-0 last weekend.

So many schoolboy errors I risk waking my neighbour up by yelling too loud at the TV in rage. (It’s 4am over here)

Why is Liverpool always like that when playing against “weak teams” for the first time? (Burnley doesn’t count as we’ve played them before, even if it was 4 years ago, and their beating the Scum and Bluenoses meant everyone was more alert of Burnley. )

Rafa on the telly… HA! Raffa the Reffer. He looks stoned.

My god that was a tough one to sit through, but job done an i’ve seen us play a hell of a lot better an lose, so fuck it it’ll do rightly. stinkers all round the pitch tonight but i’m a bit worried about our nando he just seems a bit of the boil. nothing a little hat trick wont sort out though. roll on sat.

Well, a win is a win but I can’t remember us giving the ball away in the middle of the park as much as we did tonight, or being second to loose balls.

I’m hoping that it was because we took them too lightly, just one of those things where you get told by the gaffer not to underestimate them but somehow you just can’t help it!

Oh well, a victory by a two goal margin will see us in 2nd place in the Prem this Saturday Evening, so onwards and upwards.

That’s our best performance in the CL so far.

Seriously though, it’s 3 points in the bag and we will get better. Also, it was not a high tempo game, so we should have recovered well for the wet spam game.

Good to see Aurelio back in action and Babel looked a threat when he came on!

Well that was a little nervy at the end eh ! Short of lying down and letting them run straight at Pepe there wasn’t much more we could have done to give them a chance.

Still and all a win is a win.

I agree with roarin above, Nando is off at the moment but we still won. Stevie has had better games, missed a bag-full of chances, gave the ball away far more than you-know-who .. but hey, we still won. So much for the 2-man team again.

You-know-who = Lucas I thought once again was one of the better players for me. Chased and tackled all night, won plenty too and didn’t drop his head after any error.

Benny buzzed around and it was good to see the interchange with Kuyt and Johnson. For me he was our best attacker.

Glad to see Dirk getting one in for just putting in the hard hards and being there, however, at times his control can be a tad off !

JC & the boys at the back looked quite comfortable.

With reference to some of the posts above and the “Fortress Anfield” vibe well tonight it came across to me like the atmosphere at a kickaround on Clapham Common. It’s not increase the capacity but maybe decrease it to create an atmosphere….. just joking ok !

I’m off to bed, but like I said lads just one of them nights. Players tried but couldn’t get it going. Same with the fans. It happens.

Of course all the bias was there from the start and went on all night long. No point in going on about it, but here’s the last word on ITV… “Oh, well. That’s that. Manchester United win. Chelsea win. Arsenal win. And Liverpool just about win.”

Hate to think what the Irish lads had to listen to off Giles and Whelan and Co.

At least the post match interview with Carra and Kuyt was worth a giggle…

Interviewer to Kuyt: Do you like playing the Gerrard position?

Kuyt: As long as I’m playing and helping the team I’m pleased.

Interviewer: But do you like playing in Gerrard’s position.

Kuyt: I’m happy wherever I play, last season I was mosty on the right, this season I’ve been more central. Who knows, on Saturday I might be somewhere else.

Carra: Yeah, on the bench.

Night. Night.

My two-cents worht….Not an entirely bad game, really.
We dominated them and restricted them to a half-dozen long range chances… and on another day would have done a Besiktas on them, and finished 8-0… we just didn’t bring our shooting boots today.

A lot of the early approach play was terrific but the final ball was always half-arsed, then on 30 minutes we seemed to collectively decide we’d relax and give them a bit of a chance. (and as LB mentioned our fuckin corners were horrid as usual… you’d think takin a fuckin corner was rocket science?)

The game can be summed up with the following phrase… “Nah, I’m not fussed on that chance, I’ll wait for the next chance to really have a go.”

Lucas, Kuyt and Benny… excellent as usual.
Riera looked good going forward, but I felt contributed to poor Insua looking a bit dodgy as he left him exposed a lot!
SG and Torres both had off days, as did Glenda.
Skrtel is back to being his usual mugger in a dark alley. (I’d seriously wet meself if I had to go up against him )
Carra has thankfully found his form again in the last two matches (I was worried by his form in the early games… looked like he’d peaked and lost it, but back to basics now)
Couple of good saves from Pepe when needed.

Babel looked hungry and with a point to prove for 10 minutes, pity his teammates didn’t help him out by scroing a few more earlier so he could get more time… is there still hope yet?

Masch looked narked when coming on. What’s up there?
Just nice to see Aurellio back in the fold.

Good nights work and comfortable in the end even though we conspired to make hard work of it.

Couldn’t get the match, so I can’t comment on the substance, but as long as we get the 3 points, it doesn’t really matter. It’s funny how the media slag only us and not the gooners who conceded 2 goals and also just managed to scrape through. 1-0 or 3-2, which is more professional? Well, I know, we were all predicting the headlines, but once again, we’re proved right.

FS”And here’s the worst thing about it… when we win the league it will get even worse!”

I know what you mean!! It was already bad when we won the CL in 2005. Half of the people here didn’t know what LFC was all about and then all of a sudden, the stores started selling LFC goods. It disappeared next year, only to resurface in 2007, and again when Torres signed. The flip-flopping is almost laughable but to imagine all these one-time lovers hoarding anfield or maybe even melwood, and I can only cry. Miss the times when it was such a fuss pre-ordering the kits back when I was kid; do you guys remember when they were sold in boxes– I would just sleep next to it for many days blissed with finally getting my hands on a new shirt. It wasn’t just like buying a mass-produced commodity, you really felt connected to the club no matter how far you were from the city of Liverpool. I wonder if they were sold in the same way in the 70s?

Speaking of Babel, I feel his brief 10 minute performance last night was a step up and in the right attitude. Quickly breathed some more life into the sometimes lacklustre attacks, and even created some good chances.

Maybe he took Rafa’s heed about Benny’s example, and perhaps Benny even had a word with him about his experience. I can only guess, but let us hope he carries on with this attitude into the next match and the rest of the season, whether he starts in the pitch or on the bench.

FS, it’s a catch-22 situation, isn’t it? When a team is doing so-so, their fans can be some of the most passionate ever, yet when they start tasting some success, that passion gets diluted more and more by the “prawn sandwich brigade” until it succumbs to the lowest common denominator, much like the Scum and Real Madrid.

Thus the equation:
FP ? 1/TS

F = Fan Passion
TS = Team Success

i.e. Fan passion is inversely proportional to success on the pitch.

Of course, this is exasperated by the ruthless capitalist numbskulls of G+H, pricing out the more passionate people, even from the Kop, and slowly reducing Anfield to a silent crypt rather than a grand cathedral of support.

Watched the highlight of the Besiktas vs Scum game and see what I mean. For once I actually agree with Ferguscum when he said Besiktas fans are some of the loudest.

Damn, the “alpha” Greek mathematical symbol for direct proportion didn’t work here, it seems.

Don’t worry, kinny, we all got the gist!!

Really sad to hear Ronnie Whelan tear into Benitez last night. ‘spent 250 million’ ‘what’s happening to this club’.

Completely biased against the team and the man and showing no support for his former club or loyalty.

It’s so easy to be negative and follow the mob. No original opinion of his own

Didn’t exactly pull up any trees as a manager himself.

Whelan is just another in a long long line of so-called experts who don’t do their work. Outside of everything else they simply don’t research their “facts” and just because they were good players in their day (1) doesn’t mean they know jack sh*t about how to analyse a game now and (2) does not automatically qualify them to comment on how a club is being run and how it is being managed. There is far too much lip service paid to these ex-pros who have an easy leg into a cushy number by virtue of the fact they once played the game.
So speaks the voice of a frustrated would-be analyst who wouldn’t mind a cushy number or two !!

Ahhh I knew it. Thanks Neilob. I wasn’t even sure if the game was on RTE, but I knew whoever was doing the comments would slat Rafa and the players. It’s so predictable you can set your clock by it. Oh well, not going to waste any of mine or your time on it.

But if Rafa ever wanted to instill a seige mentality in the players all he’s got to do is play them some of that. Not that it’s any better over here, and I know from comments in here, it seems to be the same in most other parts of the world.

We should all really just grow to love it. I gave up being surprised by it decades ago. So I should be well past caring, but I must admit, I let it get to me from time to time.

Like I said last night after the game – it was just one of them matches. I’ve seen and played in hundreds of them over my life time. Still don’t know what causes it though. You go on to the pitch feeling great. In fact, you can go on feeling like you are going to rip them apart, after ten minutes or so it’s just not happening, nothing seems to quite come off and it goes from bad to worse.

Looking at it last night, after about ten minutes, I thought this is going to be one of them games. And I knew if it went that way we would get slatted and written off as kak on a stick. I just hope they keep writting us off until we are lifting trophies in May.

Even in the hey day of the Kop it could happen. Not very often as we’d just keep singing. It was the done thing then. But sometimes you’d get that frustration. It’s hard to say, but sometimes it starts in the stands and makes it’s way onto the pitch. Sometimes it’s the other way round. No big deal. The job’s done, and then move on to the next task.

The thing is, every little detail is highlighted to the umptenth degree nowadays and as we know with LFC given a chance it’s always to the negative. Fuck em.

As for kits in the 70′s Hyde mate. You couldn’t really get them. I have a friend from Kirkby. He won a replica signed shirt from the 77 european cup final in a competition in The Echo. He’s still got it. I remember us all oooohhhhing and ahhhing over it when he brought it in the pub. Ordinary ones were a rarity, but that… grown men near crying just holding it.

It was only then that the marketing started. If you could post pictures in here, I’d put up a cracker… The Kop in the 70′s when they first opened the club shop – a little box on the corner of the ground next to The Albert pub.

My mate still owns all the scarve and merchandise stalls round the ground. I used to sell scarves for his dad (God rest him), out of an Echo paper bag. Them silk things that was the de riguer for any scally back in them days. He used to silk screen them in his spare bedroom, and a few of us would fill a newpaper boys bag with them and hawk them around the pubs and ground.

Mark my words, they’ll be the next people to get chased off by H&G. And it’s not so much that they are pricing locals out. They are forcing them out with all these new ticket schemes, and ticket, accomodation and travel package parcels from the likes of Thomas Cooke. But fuck all that. I’ll save that for another rant.

That’s why Kinny fans in places like Turkey, Greece, South America, even under hyped European countries like France are still brilliant to watch and listen to. Watch Dortmund fans in Germany. Brilliant. Because… they aren’t diluted by the prawn munchers. It’s cheap to go and watch them. They still have a standing section for the young fellas to bounce in.

Anyway, footy…
West Ham Saturday. I’d like to get some early goals on the board and get Torres off. That lad looks completely knackered. All strikers go through these periods. It’s just a miracle Torres hasn’t already. Normally the thing to do is keep playing them through it till they hit form, but I think Torres needs a rest. Don’t think the lad has had a day off in two years. And he’s got a new baby to occupy the wee hours. We all know how knackering that can be. But don’t worry. He’ll come good.

Insua, same thing needs a rest. Aurelio and Dosenna should be used soon.

Stevie Gerrard, just got to keep playing him. We all know it’s only a blip. And even off form the lad’s still a monster. Get him back alongside Torres at West Ham, put The Mascher next to Lucas.

Kuyt back on the right. Benny back on the left. Let them roam like against Burnley, get that pass and move going again and we’ll be fine.

Oh well, got to go. Onward and Upward.

Ex Players who slag the club of really give me the shits. Its quality people like Kenny who never put the knife in because they know what it takes to be successful from a managerial point of view. People who have been there don’t lower themselves in trying to sound and be something they never could be.

Great Blog as usual Gerry, the shit thing about work it interferes with my playing time, it’s the price you pay for a wife with expensive tastes.

Funny old game last night and a difficult one to get excited or even down about. We won comfortably enough and yes 3 points was the order of the day and for most of the game I was trying not to think whether they will nick one a ruin my evening. We dominated all night and I think that was the problem, too easy and to much possession. Individual players where beating their markers so easily they tended to carry the ball too far instead of passing. It was an individual, not a team effort and unfortunately the individuals where not at their best. Better in this type of game then later on or against better opposition and yes it is certainly not the first time this has happened and it defiantly won’t be the last. So I am happy with 3 points.

Yes for me Torres has not fired as yet this season, he seems a little at odds with life and himself, grumpy and irritable at times. I think SG would have missed inside the 6 yard box last night, I actually lost count how many times he missed the target or over hit a pass and the whole team caught the bug as well. Anyway mission accomplished lets look forward to Wet Spam and a good performance because we are going to need it, they are a good team.

PS GERRY… Them pop ups are getting worse. I even get an email page opening when I come in here now to write to one of the companies that pop up. I know what I’d like to write to them

But what’s going on? Am I the only getting this?

Thanks Ivjmac & Aitch, thanks fer the insight on me enquiry about the possibility of redeveloping Anfield. Can understand the difficulty in expanding stadium’s footprint.

And thanks to FS as well fer giving a pretty clear picture of the scenario. But shit, ye ain’t half grim, aren’t ye. Am shocked to hear our club had a hand in turning the area to shit. Though me can see where yer coming from.

Me was privy to attend some games in the early 90s & all the locals would always ask ‘where ye from’. They were almost pleasantly suprised at the distance me had travelled to get there & were always welcoming once they saw me shouting at the top of me lungs during the game. (Though why is it that whenever me was standing at the Kop, the two largest & tallest Scousers will miracoulously appear to take their place right in front of me just before kick off?!!? Was that ye, FS?)

So it is sad to hear that Anfield is fast being taken over by the prawn sandwich brigade. We can hear the lack of noise over here too. And some lads who made the trip recently were slightly underwhelmed by the lack of atmosphere at some games.

And FS, am sure ye detest prawn sandwich munchers wherever they come from, even if they was local. Yer point is well taken.

YNWA

FS, if you are using Internet Explorer go to Tools, Pop up blocker, Turn on Pop up blocker.

If using Firefox, Tools, Options, Content, and click Block Pop up windows.

The rendition of YNWA last night, before the match started, was an indication of what was to come.

As the camera panned around the crowd you had the vast majority of ‘fans’ with their lovely new LFC scarfs held aloft and their gobs firmly shut. I could only pinpoint a few sections who were properly belting it out. What makes it even worse is I am not sure if they even knew the words! Sad days indeed.

So it seems that our patriarch has been touting us around again, unfortunately only for a minority shareholding though. Also, the new sponsorship with them Charters fellas comes with a few strings attached. Like being in the CL or winnning the EPL/CL. So not just as pretty as the painted picture.

Here’s the link, if you want to read it for yourselves.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article6837483.ece

Haha well at least we have to win something to get the full money. Might be an incentive for G&H to ensure success on the pitch. What’s the best way to do that? Give Rafa what he wants.

Well lads, dident get to see the game live so caught a rerun last night on the spanish soccer channel. Man these commentators would make Trevor Brooking seem entertaining! ‘Torrrres!…Torrrres!…TORRRRES!! AYE CARAMBA!’ And that was just when he was trapping the ball and laying it off! They really love it when Nando or Stevie have the ball cos they just love rolling those r’s as only the Spanish commentators can. Im done with ESPN Sky, this is the way to go believe me!

I’d have preferred that to Jim Beglin and Clive Tysley. They talk complete kack throughout the game.

FS, Yahoo! Your note #37 thrills me like a nun in a cucumber field. I will immediately book my flight and tell my friend from Sunderland to try get two tickets for the game on 17th Oct.

Great on you man! Promise I will buy you buckets of beer at “The Albert”. Let me know how I can collect from you. Cheers, mate!

I’m not certain of this, but we could well have to do without the Services of Yossi Benayoun this Saturday as this day marks the start of the Jewish New Year and it is against their religion to take part in employment including sporting engagements on this sacred day.

I remember him missing a game before on (Rosh Hassanah, I think it’s called) and this was also in September.

If this is the case, Ryan Babel and Albert Riera may well get to start the same match!

And FS, no problem at all of course to paying the extra Stg20/- per ticket. Very relieved and glad to, in fact.

I know it was only 10 mins but Babel looked decent on the right when he came on last night. Or was I just seeing what I wanted to see? For a moment I thought he was gonna get booed, then I remembered it was Anfield not the Emirates.

That’s a bummer regarding Benny, Steve. The team will definitely be this then:

Reina
Johnson, Carra, Skrtle, Aurellio
Kuyt, Lucas, Masch, Riera
Gerrard
Torres

I agree with FS that Insua needs a rest. He had a bad game last night and looked a bit unsure of himself. Think he could do with being taken out of the firing line for a couple of weeks.

Hope you enjoy yourself Knight. You sound happier than a pig in the brown stuff!

Steve, I think you’re spot on with that one.

Rosh Hashanah starts at sundown on Friday night and runs through the day Saturday. It’s one of the two high holy days in the Jewish calendar and I would be stunned to see Benny on the pitch.

I was surprised to see him get the start last night, because he’d already started twice for Israel and once for us on Saturday. That made 4 games in 10 days for him, which I think is a lot for someone like him. In hind sight, it makes sense because we won’t see him on Saturday.

Yaaah, LB. Really great that FS is getting the tickets for both the Lyon and MU games. My friend who lives in Sunderland rents an apartment from an owner who is a Sunderland season card holder and can get two tickets for the both of us for the game on 17 Oct. Should not be a problem sitting with the home fans, even in my LFC jersey, I think.
That three games would have made my trip really worthwhile.
Am now trying to book games and have called my friend to get the tickets for the Sunderland game. So here goes!

Sorry I meant book the air ticket, not the games. Too excited. Typed too fast. haha

Sounds like a good adventure that Knight. Hopefully the team can win all those games. Every time I’ve put the effort in to travel for the sole purpose of seeing a game we lose and it bloody well ruins my weekend. Then the times when I’m in the North West and get a chance to get a ticket spur of the moment I go to the match and we win well and I’m well chuffed.

FS, and others did you see the Besiktas fans against the mancs the other night? It seemed like a wonderful atmosphere. One section of the crowd (an entire stand) would bounce up and down and sing a particular song. Then the fans in the opposite stand would do the same. Then the other corner of the ground. And so on. In fact watching the crowd was more entertaining than what was happening on the pitch.

Make sure you book the right flights now Knight… You might book a flight to Liverpool, Pennsylvania USA in your excitement. Ha ha.

No problem Knight me old friend. The games are on the 20 and 25th of October. So, I’ll get the details to you when I get back from New York. It think I’ll be back on the 7th. If I can I’ll get up to Liverpool and have a pint with you. I’ll show you a better pub than the Albert. It’s my old hidden haunt. Great craic before the games.

The extra 20 quid is for both tickets mate, not each. It’s just to cover the lads expenses for arranging them, travel, phone calls, etc. He’s an old hand like me so hates Touts and anyone making money on tickets – rather see them go to a loyal red. In fact, he doesn’t even ask for any extra money. I’ve got a few lads off here tickets through him, and it’s me that asks them to throw him an extra couple of pound just out of courtesy to the lad, which of course I know all you fine gentlemen in here would do so with out me saying.

So, don’t worry as I said, barring some huge unforseen mishap, you’re in for both games. And I haven’t even got one yet. But it’s a pleasure to help.

Anyway, that couldn’t have been me Puchong mate… I’m the widest.

MTMC, I haven’t got a clue. I’m still setting the clock on me Betamax. But it’s annoying the shit out of me. How come I’m getting this?

So no Benny. Oh well. I sometimes watch the games with an old friend of mine from Liverpool who lives in Bournemouth. He’s a funny fucker, could make a cat laugh. And he’s a Jew. It’s dead funny when Benny scores. He jumps up, shouts get in the Jews and starts doing that Jewish singing and dancing malarkey. Dead funny but would probably get him thrown out of the ground nowadays.

Maybe Babel will get the nod. I can see him and Riera sharing the job on the left with Aurelio getting the nod at full back.

I still want to see Ryan suceed. I wish he’d take a tip or two from Yossi or Riera, and believe it or not Voronin. Babel has modern day footballer disease, try’s to do everything at a million miles an hour. There’s nothing wrong with pace and power. You have more or less no chance making it in today’s game without it, but sometimes it calls for a bit of guile.

Tip to Ryan… when you get the ball, it doesn’t mean you have to look down at it and take off running like a lunatic, just trying to barge your way through every player ahead of you.

PS… going to read the link now. If I’ve got it right, and they have to win a few things to get all the money, it’s a god send.

Also, I hope they get some decent investment from proper mega rich Liverpool fans like the Makthoums who will make it thier business to winkle them out.

Yep Lurgy, glad you clocked it. I’ll tell you what’s happened to even YNWA… Notice how long the record stayed on last night? They have to keep it going for ages now to get them all singing. Then when it goes off, they all think they’re Babel… sing it at break neck speed and finish it a verse early, all breaking into clapping before it’s even finished. Don’t won’t to go on right now, cos I’ll go on a downer again. But I hope you lads understand, I’ve done that since I was a little un and it breaks me heart to see what’s happening.

Turkish fans are great LB… They’re untouched by all the hype. And most other fans who aren’t celebed up are just the same.

I’ve always wanted to go to see River Plate play Boca Juniors. I kid you not, a snip of it came on the telly the other day and Missus FS said to me… is that one of them games that you want to go and see?

I always say if we win the lottery, fuck beaches and art gallery’s and cathedrals. I’m going to tour all the great stadiums and games around the world.

Anyway, I said, Yep. That’s one of them.

Long story short, it could be Buenos Aries for next year’s hols. I’m getting excited as Knight.

FS, Waah.. you are passing them tickets to me and you don’t even have one? My my, isn’t that going a bit far for me? That’s appreciated for sure. But I do hope you can get for yourself the tickets for both games. Would love to be there with you for the pints before the game: The Albert or any other pub of your choosing.

Sure, Stg20/- for two tickets? Not a problem. I paid Stg 100 each from a tout for my wife and nephew to see the Spurs game in Oct 2007. An LFC fan who had an extra seasson ticket saw me paying the touts and offered me his extra ticket for Stg 20/-. Only thing was it was right up the second top row at the Centenary stand. Quite far up. But I was not complaining, just to see the game for the first time at Anfield. Therefore for the extra 20 quid, really not an issue. Thanks again.

It was nice to watch the Besiktas fans I tell you. I’ve watched a couple River Plate v Boca Juniors on TV they make the Merseyside Derby look like village cricket in Kent. Well maybe not but you get my point.

Isn’t there a massive rivalry in Mexico that is supposed to be on a different level in terms of atmosphere? Would be brilliant to tour the globe and visit the famous stadiums and big matches.

My mate went to the Nou Camp just to watch Barca play in La Liga and said it was like a community in a football stadium. Middle aged women on their own passionately supporting the side. Basically all ages, men and women cheering on their side.

I was bored one evening and so I did some reading on the Barca v Real Madrid rivalry. It goes back to General Franco days and is a fascinating read. Basically the Nou camp was a place of refuge for Catalans during the civil war. There was one Spanish cup final where Barca were 3-0 up at half time. Franco made a trip to the Barca dressing room and told them “May I remind you that it is a privilege for you to be playing football in Spain” or words to that affect. Well the game finished 7-3 to Real. If anyone is interested in that type of stuff I’d recommend giving it a read.

I woke up early this morning at 2.40am to watch our narrow win last night. A lot of our players were playing below their usual strength. Nevertheless it’s three points in the bag. Good for Kuyt. Gotta go to bed. It’s now midnight here in KL. Cheers!

You could well be right with your starting 11 prediction for Saturday LB, with Babel starting on the bench again.

I think Insua may well play at Leeds, but I would agree there is no reason why he shouldn’t be given a breather at West Ham and I’m even thinking that is why Rafa bought Aurelio on near the end last night.

Thinking ahead to Elland Road, I think Torres and Gerrard could well be left at home for this one, and Johnson on the bench so Deggen gets a run out. Could Agger be fit for this one? Let’s see.

Also meant to say Yossi may well be given a rest at Leeds as well as West Ham.

Yeah LB. There’s one in Mexico City that’s absolutely bonkers… Cruze Azul v America. The one I really want to go to is in Chile.. Colo Colo v Universiadad. Only seen it once on telly. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.
Oh well, best do me lucky dip again tomorrow.

And yeah. I love stuff like that. I’ve called Real Franco United a few times in here but thought nobody had got it. Most clubs have skeletons in their closets, but Madrid have some nasty shite in their past mate. Mind you, they’ve got some in the present and probably in the future too. I was never happier than when I was there and Benny hit the net. Fuck you Facist bastards… Up The Jews, indeed!

And Knight don’t worry. I will sort my own ticket nearer the time. Like the old boy who offered you his season ticket, I’m a proper red mate. We all hate touts. Used to batter them, take their tickets off them and give them away in the old days. Sadly, you can’t get away with that nowadays though.

And also sadly I definetely won’t be at the Lyon game. Can’t stay up there that long. I kid you not, it’s cheaper for me to go to games in Europe than go home to Liverpool.

You can see how thin the squad is at the moment, as we can pretty much predict the moves Rafa has to make. But who knows. He might still shock us on Saturday.

It used to make me laugh listening to the commentators when they’d be going on and on about Rafa bringing on some certain player and all of the sudden Rafa would pull a forward and put on a full back. It just shows how much we have been reliant on this man’s knowledge and nouse. After 5 years you’d think we’d be past that stage, but unlike the stupid media, I’m glad most of us realise that if it hadn’t been for Rafa’s knowledge we’d have probably been wobbling round mid table now.

I don’t hold out any hope for things changing in January. Even if Rafa was given some money, you can’t get the players you want then or if you can they are cup tied and cost a fortune because team’s know you need them to push on.

So, it looks like that’s it lads. But once there all fit, we’ll be in good shape. And yes, I know they won’t all stay fit but hopefully we won’t be this threadbare for the rest of the season.

LB check out John Nicholsons article ‘fans, not Adebayor deserve contempt’ on football 365. Its along the lines of what you’ve been saying all week. Some good points in there, really lays bare the double standard.

Looks like I wasn’t the only one to see Babel’s positivism in his brief 10 minute spell last night. No doubt motivated by Rafa kicking him up the backside and telling him to grit his teeth like Benny. It’s a good thing as he’s actually contributing to some interesting attacking combos during that 10 minute period. Let us hope he’s learned from this.

Aye FS #94, the chorus for YNWA is sung TWICE, not once. In fact, I had to personally tell people in my local fanclub when singing before each game begins not to be so lazy and clap so early as soon as the first time is sung. Luckily none of them were of the prawn sandwich quality and were all reasonable people, so it was good.

Gerry, besides a blog to comment on the StanChart sponsorship, how about another blog to comment on how to take on the prawn sandwich brigade, and what we can do to halt that seemingly unstoppable tide.

Of course, G+H must be removed at all costs, but before then, surely something can be done by us “faithful ones” to keep the damage caused by these prawn sandwich zombies to a minimum.

This is going to be like the Battle of Stanlingrad, where every inch has to be fought for in this long and grulling battle to protect the very values that is centre to our beliefs as Liverpool supporters.

Great blog and great thread guys.
Good to see Gerry acting as our (unofficial) Vera Lynn(with FS as Arthur Askey?)
Good (brief) analysis of the Press reaction to Debrecen on OhYouBeauty:

http://ohyoubeauty.blogspot.com/

Digger they’ve been on about it all week over here. The Arsenal fans have been getting leathered in the press. FFS – The Arsenal, Highbury Libary Club!

Tell me this, did you feel like lynching Gary Neville for running the length of the field to the Kop and kissing the badge?

And he openly says he hates us. We have never paid his wages. And we never had to watch him week in week out underperform and pick up them wages.

I agree there is no room in football for racism. And although I haven’t heard that in any of the reports, I will take LB’s word for it that it happened. And besides, it’s a known fact Adebayor’s had it hurled at him in the past. But if you think there’s no place in football for what the Arsenal fans done, then we might aswell do away with crowds at the match.

It’s not nice. It’s not right. But it’s football. LB asked after the incident should all footballers just have a hearty handshake and then walk back to the centre circle after scoring?

Well, then I’ll take it one further… Should the Arsenal fans all have stayed in there seats and just tutted tutted at Adebayor when he done his celebration?

Bollacks. He’s the fella getting paid the big bucks. He’s the fella that was in the papers over here all week practically calling the Arsenal fans a shower of shite. He’s the fella who practiced that celebration and couldn’t wait to perform it. He’s the fella who’d nearly took the head off one of his old team mates only minutes earlier. He’s the fella who’s got to take the punishment for his actions.

The Arsenal fans who reacted in a violent and racist manner may well be caught and banned for life. Most of them are probably reasonable fellas who lost it in a moment of provoked madness because they love their team.

Who’s going to end up getting the worst out of this… a highly paid professional who doesn’t give a toss or the poor mug who works all week and gives up his hard earned week in week out to support the team he loves?

Like I said, racism… kick it out. But kicking out them fellas and others like them for the same type of reaction… well, we might aswell all stop going, so away with the beer and pie kiosks and set up the prawn sandwich buffets.

The gooner reaction was understandable, but simply no class whatsoever. I always think the Liverpool way has been to use humour to vent the aggression. A well constructed chant has always had more class then a hurled plastic chair, old boy!

Kinny the sound on this is awful, and there’s only a tiny snippet of it but…
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXxf52k0cE&feature=related

That is how YNWA should be sung. That’s the way it used to be sung. It used to make the hairs stand up all over your body, and bring a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye. Magnificent when done properly. But how long before we need a Karaoke man to perform it?

That is a tiny clip from this game…
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDd0DnaVoa4

It was the game that sealed it for me and after that I was in the boys pen for every game then graduated to the kop. So that is why it hurts me so much to see what is happening today.

We’d only came up the season before from division 2 when we won the FA Cup. It was a huge deal. Then next season, we done this…
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KBM0HggjY0&feature=related

Stick an h on the front of the links…. Happy, happy days.

Nobody said the reaction was right. In fact, I said it was wrong and not nice. But what do we want from footy fans?

Might aswell go the opera if you don’t want to see that sort of thing

LFC ressies 1 up against the mancs.

Here’s a link that is working for me.

http://www.justin.tv/uktvsport_football/popout

Far better that thon europa league.

I can’t seem to sort out what’s going on with the Borrowers right now. It seems like every day for the past week, there’s been some sort of article that’s related to them trying to create a feel good vibe amongst the supporters.

We’ve had:
-George and Tom in separate interviews told us that our finances are in good shape
-Purslow came out and mention the same thing
-Rafa and Purslow had a public love fest on the official site
-King Kenny was rolled out spouting the company line
-a new shirt sponsor and found out it pays based on our performance
-finally we’ve read today that the borrowers are looking to sell a 1/4 share of the club for £100 million to help get the stadium started.

I’m trying to piece together why there’s this big charm offensive. They know we don’t like them, and they’re smart enough to know that we’ll probably never like them.

I’m guessing something big is coming just around the corner to smack us upside the head…

Plessis just sent off for the reserves…still 1-0 though. Probably better stop with the match reports thinking about it…

and sent off for feck all!

Where’s the pacman as well?

Lurgen-Pacheco apparently picked up a knock in training.

He’s injured Lurgy. Sad sending off that mate. 50/50 both a bit high. See the Manc asking the ref to send him off and then shaking hands with a team mate when he walked… Oh well, teach them early, start as you mean to go on, and all that, eh.

Indeed FS, a lesson that is better learnt in the reserves than in a ‘competitive’ match.

Still not a sending off though, by any stretch! In fact it was a complete farce!

Yes!!!! Liverpool reserves win against Manc reserves 1-0. We played with 10 men for more than 60 min and we still won. Hope the main squad can repeat this twice.

Any political struggle usually involves countless parties bickering, posturing and in-fighting, while the powers that be continue on with their regime un-hindered. Yes folks that’s LFC at the moment.
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Lets just blame every party we can, out of towners, day trippers, gawk and sticky beakers, holiday makers, once in a life time attendee’s. Yes according to most blog sites these lowlife bastards are causing the situation, LFC now finds itself in.
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Well when did this lot sell the club. Oh that’s right Moores’ did, big red heart of a match going red. He sold for copious amounts of cash. Not for the likes of the above who sell themselves for all the cash they can muster to see one night of football. Somewhere in all these fingerpointing issues I here the words, The Peoples Popular Front of Judea. Or is it, who knows to many groups.
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I’m going to get two opportunities to watch an LFC game next year, am I going to take some photographs (yes). Am I going to buy a scarf for my kids (yes), am I going to do what all holiday makers do (yes). Am I the scurge of the modern game (No).
.
Did I sell the club (NO). If you think Scouse supporter are disappearing, have a look at Scouse footballers, there becoming the new mythical creature of Merseyside.
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I just find it sad when we have no problem blaming everyone but the owners for the problems the club finds itself in. Everyone of us wants the best players in the world playing for LFC but then complain about losing our childhood dream team.
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The last time I went to see Liverpool was the last time I saw my Uncle, will I be looking for his name, searching the memorial (Yes) but I’ll still be a day tripper, holiday makers, OOT, Prawn Sandwich type, Oh yes and by the way a Fucking die hard life long RED, just like the one who sold the fucking club.

FS, thanks for your kind gesture. Noted that you will not be at the Lyon game. Where do you live? Ireland?

As for Adebayor, I say ban for six games( 3 each for running the length of the pitch to deliberately to tease the already enraged Arsenal fans and 3 for stamping on Van Persie’s face). Man Shitty should also be deducted three points for the Manager supporting Adebayor despite these two really bad incidences.

Gaz, with all due respect, what is it with you and your indignant siege mentality all of a sudden?

Moores a lifelong red, yeah, but so what? It doesn’t change the fact that he still made a blatantly unforgivable error and sold the club to the borrowers.

Nobody is telling these “new prawn sandwich” fans to go away, but if they’re unwilling to embrace and learn about the Liverpool Way, and just see supporting a club as though it’s like watching their favourite soap opera, which they can turn on and off whenever they like, then they seriously need to have a think about it.

And whoever said the owners were not blamed? Don’t turn this into a blame either the owners or the “prawn sandwich” debate, please, because both parties are just as equally responsible for the perceived loss of passion.

Interesting comment Kinny, I have suddenly developed an indignant siege mentality, when I’ve been against the American owners from before they bought the club. If you care to go back to blogs prior to their sale, I think you’ll see what I mean.
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Maybe it’s my way of battening down the hatches to save the club I love. If that’s wrong then I’ll wear that.
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However the above statement is coming from someone who wrote, “This is going to be like the battle of Stanligrad.” Sounds very much like a siege. Then you continued on with your blog with your hope to clense us from the prawn sandwich zombies.
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I still am focusing my attention on one pair of must go idiots. Not thousands. Afterall dumb and dumber want YOU to focus on other issues, it’s easier for them.
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My comments are up and open for debate, off you go.

My Battle of Stalingrad reference was aimed at dumb and dumber, but you seem to want to make it sound like it’s a siege against you, suit yourself.

Also like to add, taking on Dumb and Dumber and taking on this prawn sandwich culture is one and the same thing, as far as I’m concerned. Dumb and Dumber merely exasperates that culture even more.

It’s just that once Dumb and Dumber are eventually removed, it might make taking on the latter problem a bit less difficult, if not easier.

But some people like to make it sound like they’re different issues altogether. It’s like saying forget about fixing the economy, let’s root out the terrorism threat first, or vice versa. Without realizing both are quite related to each other.

Sorry, I meant “exacerbate”, not “exasperate”.

Sorry (off topic),

Anyone know what the deal is what Maradona?

Has he got back on the Devil’s Dandruff?

Fook, imagine NOT qualifying with a squad featuring messi, tevez & our masch.

@ gazmanin117
I like your style. As an LFC supporter since I saw Liverpool wiin the FA Cup in ’74, I could be classed a gloryhunter. I was 10 at the time! I’m also an OOT…who lives near the theatre of screams and has to argue the toss with every misinformed utd supporter this side of Warrington. Do I not count? Does nobody love me? [sob]

@ knight
What’s getting me about the whole Adebayor thing is that people have been manipulted by the Match of the Day editors into thinking that he was the only transgressor in the match. Footage of van Persie doing EXACTLY the same as Adebayor wasn’t shown. Nobody’s saying van Persie should be banned for inciting opposition fans – and HE LEFT THE PITCH!
So yes, Adebayor’s been a ‘very naughty boy’ and should be punished but so should the other players on the pitch at the time.

Which brings me to my next point: I know I support LFC but it seems the treatment Torres gets each week is often beyond the pale. He gets lumps kicked, elbowed, barged out of him each game and with minimal protection form the referee. Is it my blinkered view? I don’t think our defence is as blatantly aggressive against opposition forwards. Hard, yes, but fair. That’s why each season we’re at the bottom of the fouls committed league and near the top of the fair play league.
So, I think Torres is punch-drunk and the rigours of playing in the Premier League are getting to him at the moment. I think by the time his black-eye has gone, we’ll see him back to his deadly best…

Actually McrRed, me thinks the black eye thug look quite suits Torres. Gives him a bit more menace . . .

OK, looks like there’s still some time to defuse this nonsensical debate before it gets blown out of proportion, so after some thought, I’m going to hand out an olive branch first and call for a ceasefire, though I stand by (mostly) what I said.

If any of you thought that you were caught in my “siege” then I apologize, for my bullets were not certainly aimed at any individual in particular, but at a culture as a whole.

But after that you still decide to wander into my range of fire and get hurt, I don’t really know what to say.

They ARE different issues altogether Kinny. One group supports our club and as such should be respected. The other group wants to suck our club dry and damn the consequences and as such should be villified. Big fucken difference my friend. The first group pay for tix, food, drink, jerseys scarves etc like every other fan but are viewed dismisively as ‘prawn sandwich brigade’. Yeah well Kinny that brigade supports our team and pumps a lotta money into it and the local economy when they’re on their day trips.

(continued) which is a lot more than can be said for the other 2 parasites. So to classify the 2 as one and the same is ludicrous Kinny. Daytrippers, oot’s, prawn sandwich brigade, call em what you will but dont call them the same problem as Hicks and Gillette. Its absurd, unfair and simply inaccurate.

Which black-eye are you talking about lads? The one he got at the start of the season or the one on international duty?

The lad is getting kicked/elbowed from pillar to post and looks fatigued/fucked off.

Would be great if we could give him a rest (I can see the headlines already) as he has been playing non-stop footie for the last two years. On top of this he has a ba as well and I don’t think he is one to shirk his repsonsibilities as a father.

On the other hand he could just be knackered from mounting furniture to the early hours in the morning

I hope it is the latter but I doubt it. All I know is that we need a fit and fresh FT this season if we are going to win the league.

If only Knight. I would love to live in Ireland. In fact, I’d settle for a little visit right now. I live in Bournemouth mate, long story, that I can’t be bothered boring everyone with. But I was one of the displaced of the Thatcher generation, getting on our bikes (As they told us to) to look for work and money when things were really bad in Liverpool.

You’re more than welcome to stay at mine when you are here, but it’s about 250 miles from Liverpool. I go up there all the time though. And even I get teased as an OOT – out of towner – by fellas who I have known all my life. Which brings me onto something…

Gaz, you’ve got hold of the wrong end of the stick. While I often comment on the diluting of the atmosphere at Anfield, I also come in here where it’s populated by people from all over the world and I even get tickets for the ones who would like to go to Anfield.

In fact, there isn’t one fella in here who I have let down when they’ve wanted a ticket, and I’ve even arranged some for their friends who I’ve never even spoken with. Although at the beggining of this season I did have to tell people I mightn’t be able to get them tickets now – due to new ticketing schemes made by H&G which will force even more locals out of the club. But, let’s stick to the subject…

Did anybody watch the Bluenoses last night? Did you see the AEK fans? Beaten 4 – 0, and still singing and bouncing enough to drown out the Evertonians who are in no way affected by the prawn munchers as us – but not all from Liverpool like they’d try and have people believe. I often skit my blue mates and family by calling them the People’s Club of Wales. There’s loads of them live over there in North Wales. But I’m going off on a tangent again…

Gaz how many times have I said, there is a difference between tourists and proper fans – wherever they are from? How many times have I gone about the old days and The Liverpool Fans All Over The World emblem – The Globe With a Liver Bird stood On top, surrounded by flags of the world. Fuck me, I nearly got it tattooed on me when I was 15 but plumbed for an ordinary Liver Bird… Thank fuck, cos that is another emblem that got dropped at Anfield when the Mancs copied and stuck Satan astride the world.

Anyway, I have gone on about knowing fellas from all over this country and fellas from Scotland, Ireland and Norway who have been going to Anfield since the 70′s – when transport was nothing like as easy as it is today and getting to the match was a very expensive trek for them that took at least a couple of days out of their working week.

I’ve also said on a million occasions in here, that when you go to Anfield nobody expects you not to take photographs or buy merchandise. But there is a huge difference between taking some snaps around the ground and then watching the match – or standing throughout the match gawking backwards at the Kop taking photographs of them and wondering where all the atmosphere has gone.

Nobody expects you to attend a match and carry on like some sort of Minstrel show. In fact, if you was to stand there singing and dancing in some other part of the ground but the Kop, you would look like a complete twat. Which you also will if you wear one of them stupid fucking jester hats and a LFC shirt printed with some sort of stupid fucking message. And lets face it, anyone attending a match at Anfield should at least know how to sing YNWA.

Out of town and even out of country fans have always been made welcome at Anfield. It’s a shame you never read the comments properly – especially Knight’s about a man who offered him his season ticket rather than see him get ripped of by touts. On a match day, I could take you into a pub where all the Norwegian lads go – you wouldn’t even know they was Norwegian. You would swear they was Scouse, and they know the words to every single song dating back to the 70′s and sing their hearts out. How could anyone have an objection to them lads going to a match?

But next time LFC are on telly, watch as the camera pans around the Kop. Lurgan commented on it earlier. You will see them all, holding their nice new scarves above their heads, wearing their brand new jester hats, with a nice new replica shirt on – probably bearing some message about the mancs or something – and not knowing a fucking word to YNWA. And they’ll never probably be seen there again. In fact, they’ll probably be stood by the water cooler in the office on Monday morning talking to their friends about their weekend and saying they wish they’d stayed home and went the theatre with them instead of going to Anfield.

They my friend are the people who are unwelcome. They are the people that are diluting the atmosphere. They are the people I wrote about, and they are the people who are wrecking something I – and you – both love.

Are they the only ones? No, of course they are not. Are H&G to blame for the atmosphere going down hill? If you read my other comments on the subject you would see what I said about them and their corporate travel, accomodation and ticket schemes. And they are only going to get worse.

Do Moores and Parry have to shoulder some blame – of course they fucking do. Does Parry give a toss, of course he doesn’t. Does Moores – the man is bloody broken. Do you really honestly think he wants to go down in LFC history as the man who sold the club down the river for an extra 8 million quid? Of course he fucking doesn’t. His family kept this club of ours alive and where it is for generations. He has a terrible burden to carry. And yes, I think he was a fucking fool, but was he any worse than any of us who welcomed H&G with open arms as they waved their dollars in the air and promised Roofa Snoogy fucking Doogy if he wanted him?

And are there any people at Anfield who hate anyone from outside of Liverpool attending matches – of course there fucking is. They are mainly young fellas who listen to the old tales from the old fellas, who watch the old films of The Kop, who go there for every game and try to get an atmosphere going but can’t and have to sit there on a cold miserable Wednesday night getting outsung by the likes of Stoke bloody fans. So – maybe you don’t like the idea that some people at Anfield won’t be over the moon because you are there – but you can’t blame and you should be able to understand that – even if you aren’t one of the people that they really can’t stand being at the match.

Having said that, you won’t be treated badly by anyone. In fact, you won’t be even noticed – there’s that many people from all over. In fact, go in the shop at the ground. I’ll give you a pound for every Scouse voice you hear in there. It won’t cost me the price of a pint.

Are there ways of solving this – of course there are. Will they be implemented – will they fuck. Why not…
A: They will cost H&G revenue.
B: They are hardly going to strengthen the hands of the people who oppose them.

So maybe you don’t like what I have to say. Somebody said a few comments back, that what I had to say was grim reading. Yep. I know it is. But it’s also the truth. And very often the truth isn’t nice. So if you want someone to lie to you, sorry, I’m not your man.

Fatty re:#105, yeah I can see your point but I can see Nicholsons too. Its a complex issue with merit to both sides. I lie somewhere in the middle. If your gonna abuse him (Arsenal fans) and in effect inspire him to stuff it back down your throats, well then, ‘take ye’re fucken medicine!’ is what I’m thinking. And yeah, celebrate your goal lad, instant karmas a bitch! But I like what Nicholsons saying too FS which is basically ‘grow the fuck up, you incited it, ya cant take it? Fark off!’ Know what I mean?

Ludicrous, Digger, you say?

“That brigade supports our team and pumps a lotta money into it and the local economy when they’re on their day trips.”

There seems to be a misconception that everytime the word Prawn Sandwich Brigade (PSB) is mentioned, they tie them together with the OOT, Foreign Fans, or Day Trippers. And then people get all defensive without even thinking it’s not even about them.

Well, guess what. PSB DOES NOT EQUAL OOT, Foreign Fans and Day Trippers!

Prawn Sandwich Brigade (PSB): besides “pumping money and driving the club economy” they just sit and watch, eat their sandwich, and then believe all the shit the media says and blame it all on Rafa or any easy scapegoat if even the tiniest bit goes wrong.

None PSB: those that really rev their team up when the team really needs them, FS has gone and elaborated pretty much everything.

If that’s not enough, FS’s post at #131 has excellently elaborated on what I’ve been trying to say. Please do take time to have a read. Thanks FS, BTW.

They’re all at it Digger. All week on Talk Shite, it’s been on practically every show… 2 presenters, 1 taking the player’s side. The other the fans. Them kunts are worse than either of them. They are making it into a far bigger deal than it is.

Personally I don’t give a fuck either way. I like players winding up fans. I like fans winding them up. But then I’m an aul scally. But even I know a line has to be drawn when it incites violence.

Adebayor should be hit as hard as possible. The fans who actually got violent and racist should be also done.

But should some poor fucker be banned for running down to the front of the ground, flipping him the bird and calling him a kunt? I don’t think so.

Let’s face it, Arsenal aren’t exactly Millwall and as a club they have probably one of the biggest amount of black and asian fans – so racists? I don’t think so.

It was one of them things. And you can take all that went before it into consideration, but the fact is Adebayor caused it and should have known better.

How would you feel if he’d been an LFC player and done it to the travelling Kop?

Exactly.

Oh and Kinny, I could go on about it even more, but I don’t have to…
When Gaz – or anybody else who has been but not in awhile – gets to Anfield, he will see the difference from the last time he was there and I expect his point of view will be somewhat different when he gets back.

Could be wrong but I dont think prawn sandwiches are sold at Anfield Kinny. And even if they are and their now infamous connosieurs are just sitting there eating them well they’re still there, supporting their team financially and in person which as I pointed out is a hell of a lot different than being an absentee landlord siphoning off every fucken cent. Your arguement that the PSB’s and H&G remains inaccurate. And FS’s post in 131 is NOT what your saying. He in no way compares any form of Red to H&G.

Digger, Kinny mightn’t have worded it to suit you. But he’s right in the fact that H&G and the prawn munchers are connected.

I’d love to take you for a walk round Anfield on match day, and then sit with you on The Kop. Believe me mate, you’d change that opinion.

The sad fact is, we are now a celebrity club like the Mancs, Arsenal and Chelsea. Therefore, H&G are milking that and bringing in more and more of the prawn munchers, day trippers, tourists, call them what you will.

As I have said, I know long standing out of towners who are great fans. They are not the problem and anyone who doesn’t welcome them is out of order. Although, as I explained, you can understand why some kids don’t – how can you distinguish. Well, usually by the fucking jester hats. But…

This all started with the inception of Sky and the Premiereship and all it’s hype. It got really bad after Istanbull. And as I’ve said a million times it will get only worse when we actually win the league.

It could be stopped, but it won’t. It would cost our “Custodians,” money. And that is the only thing they hold sacred.

It’s like the blarney stone mate. Millions will won’t to come and kiss it until they’ve licked the very life out of it and eroded it to a pebble.

Safari goers, fucking up the jungle until there isn’t an elephant or lion left.

People coming to Anfield to see – not be part of – the famous atmosphere until there’s only them left thinking where’s the famous all singing all dancing Kopite that I came to photograph and record.

Believe me mate. It’s getting that bad.

Perhaps there should be some sort of grass roots movement FS? I’m aware of RTK and think its a great idea but maybe an effort to educate these types of people? Ya know like ‘c’mon luv, put the camera down for 3minutes, we’re about to sing you’ll never walk alone’, tourist: ‘really? but I wanted to film it?’ Kopite: ‘dont worry luv, we sing it again at the end, now lets ‘ear ya!’, tourist: ‘oh…oh ok then!’ Ya know what I’m saying Fatty? Or am I a daft git with my scouse tinted glasses on?!

Hang on a mo Dig. I’ve got to do something then I’ll say me piece

Was me who commented that ye was a rite grim bastard, FS. And yes, the truth is often ugly.

But the time me was at Anfield, me always got a friendly hullo & a very warm welcome from all concerned, even from a couple of rough looking skinheads on one occassion.

In fact, back before media saturation made English footie the “internationally recognised brand that it is today” (R Scudamore), most Scousers were well chuffed to learn that the club had such a long reach outside Merseyside.

And fer those who resent tourists not singing along, ye have to understand fer many, it is a once in a lifetime trek. And many will NOT know the songs (though they should at least know YNWA as FS said) or the proper conduct on match days.

Yes, they do dilute the atmosphere. But they do bring in revenue.

Ye win some, ye loss some . . .

Having said that, it did irritate me no end whenever friends visited Liverpool & wanted to go fer a game & all they did was play the camera-clicking tourist, especially when they wanted to pose in front of the Hillsborough memorial . . .

Must be early hours over there Digger… up all night or shit the bed?

Anyway, I can’t stand this fella, but this is worth watching. It takes about 5 minutes, but give it a look…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9rw5G_zUA

Well, it’s like trying to hold back the tide Digger. RTK was/is a great idea. As is Keep The Flags Scouse.

The thing is, with Arsenal, Man U and Chelsea, people are attracted to the glory of trophies. With Liverpool I think they are attracted as much by The Kop. I know millions of them who looked at that old terrace and that was it… LFC for life.

I was no different. I spent many matches just staring at them from the Boys Pen and dying to get in there. We even had the cheek to sing at them Kopites are Gobshites through the fence.

But anyway…
In the old days there was a line of progression…
Boys Pen, Kop – starting at the edges moving into the middle as you got older, getting older moving out to the edges, going into the stands with all the other old bastards and moaning about the good old days.

It was like crop rotation. Kept things fresh and blooming. We know them days are over but there are answers. The bad thing is, they have to be done by the club, and with H&G in charge that is just not going to happen.

I’ll come back to that, but…

When that line of progression was broken, things started going wrong. And all seaters meant that all the fellas who gathered together were now all dotted all over the ground. RTK fought to do something about this…
But RTK was not started to keep out OOT’s. It was started to get some atmosphere back into the Kop. It took a long and concerted effort to get the club to rearrange ticketing and put 2 – yes just 2 blocks of seats on the Kop – aside for people who wanted to sing and bring flags. You didn’t have to be Scouse to qualify to sit in them blocks – all that was required was they would need to be singers.

The blocks are up the back of the Kop. The idea was they would start the atmoshphere and it would generate out and down. It did for awhile and it was a success. But through more and more glory hunters – call them what you will – and more and more corporate ticketing schemes, the rest of the Kop is not backing up the RTK blocks nowadays. And so the little atmoshpere they can generate right back there is muffled and lost.

Is it all down to OOT’s? No. Course not. Sadly the apathy has spread into parts of the Kop that should be alive and kicking but can only get it up for big games. How to solve it? I’ll get back to that in a mo.

Keep Flags Scouse: Well, that is a great idea. The flags of The Kop have always been unique. We must keep them that way. So though the name say’s keep them Scouse might sound like a seperatist thing what it actually means is… No Fucking Big Genaric St George’s Crosses with the name of some alehouse in Essex or somewhere scrawled across it.

It means like Joey Ate The Frog’s Legs – Flags should be Red (unless they are something special). They should be witty or poigniant and relevant to our club. And that is right.

So people do try, and like I said it could be solved… Move the RTK blocks down nearer the front, get another couple going around them. Bring back a Boys Pen. Introduce a cheap Lads and Dads scheme to get the next generation in. And here’s the big one, that won’t happen and for once can’t be blamed on H&G…
Bring back standing. Yep. A safe standing area at the front of the Kop, with pay as you enter turnstyles so that it would fill early and be full of people that want to sing and generate an atmosphere.

That opens a new can of worms, too long and complex to go into right now.

But there are answers. The problem is as I have said, H&G will not implement them.
1: They cost money.
2: If you was them would you gather together everyone who is going to spend the match singing You Lying Bastards. Get Out Of Our Club!

And there’s more to it than that, but I’ve got to get going.

So, although some people would like to blame it all on OOT’s and ban them well… I go to Ireland and 99.99% of people are great with me, but the odd one will call me an English Bastard. Doesn’t bother me. I understand it completely and I’m only surprised the other 99.99% don’t feel that way.

Anyway, go to go.

Oopps, got to go.

Thanks for that Fatty. I’ve always been behind RTK but wasnt aware of the flag programme and now that I am I’m totally behind it too. One of my favourite things pre-match, even to this day, is looking at the flags and banners. Sends a shiver down the spine to see Shanks and Bob looking down from the Kop. Must be awe inspiring for the opposition too. Nah Fatty, no incontinence, just couldent sleep, got up for a smoke, thought ‘fuck it, kopblog!’ and I’m not getting back now! Right….brekkie…

Some people get the wrong idea about RTK Digger. They think it’s an anti-OOT thing. It’s not. Of course there are fellas in it who are anti OOT. But like I said, that happens anywhere, in any organisation.

But put it this way – I would prefer to be stood on the kop next to any lad or a lass come to that, who wanted to sing and add to the support, no matter where they was from, rather than some scouser who wanted to moan and whinge.

But like I say, those who want to sing are scattered all round the ground and there’s no chance of the “Custodians” bringing them all together.

In fact, here’s something I would bet my bottom lip on – the next people to be broken up and moved on from Anfield…
1: The RTK blocks.
2: My mate and all the people he employs selling merchandise from unofficial stalls set up around the ground.

I read that article Digger. I agree with a lot of what he says. I just think this causing a riot stuff is a load of nonsense. Why it should be acceptable behaviour to go to a football stadium and act like an animal is beyond me. “He could have caused a riot”. A guy running 90 yards and sliding on his knees with his arms held aloft would not cause a riot if we are dealing with sane, decent human beings. Trouble is there are too many fucking morons in football stadiums that think it perfectly normal to fight, throw things and abuse players.

If the travelling Kop were to abuse a former Red throughout a game, the player scores a goal and then does the exact celebration Adebayor did – would I have a problem? No. And I can’t comprehend people who would have a problem. Some of these football fans are fucking deranged. I don’t understand it. The hatred in grown men’s faces at certain players. The personal insults that come out of their mouths and then expect the player to just take it. If the player slightly reacts, the same fans that have been calling him every name under the sun want to jump up and down and scream and shout even more, surging forward as if they want a lynching.

We’ll see this at Goodison if Gerrard plays. If he goes over to take a corner you watch the how the fans behave. Usually they are foaming at the mouth with abuse, swearing and blinding, calling his wife a whore and saying his daughter isn’t his. He’ll have to dodge a couple of projectiles as well no doubt. Now why he isn’t within his rights to tell them to fuck off while giving them the wanker gesture is beyond me. But no. He has to take it because he is a ‘professional’. And the people dishing out the abuse get away with it and do exactly the same thing next time. Their animals I suppose and it shouldn’t be expected of them to behave like a sane human being.

I don’t care if I’m on £500 million a week – anyone abusing me about my wife and children is getting the Cantona treatment.

Here’s comes moaning Marvin again.

I remember a time when football and footie fans were not worried about revenue latest footie kits, revenue streams, sponsorship deals, state of the art stadiums etc.

It was about 3pm on a saturday, having a laugh with mates, no more no less. The rest took care of itself.

Even the european cup games would be listened to over a crackling radio 5 am frequency. No FM, no TV, no replays to the nth degree, no hype and no smoke and mirrors.

Money has fucked up the game that I love and it is only going to get worse.

Saying that, I am looking forward to the wet spam game – it should be a cracker – and therein, my friends, lies the problem – we are addicted.

Can’t wait for my next fix and these two fat fucks know that.

In summary we are wankered!!!!!!

Thanks again FS, but I mean it when I said that what I really want to say FS has really said it for me.

I’m crap at articulating my points across, this is why I didn’t study law, though I have many relatives who’re solicitors. If someone were to ask me to defend them in a criminal case, they’d be sure to go to jail, even when 90% of the evidence says they’re innocent. So I’m really grateful for that FS.

Digger, I was actually suggesting something of a grassroot movement back in post #103, and assisting RTK most certainly fits that bill.

Though the biggest obstacle to this movement to preserve the values is none other than G+H, because to them it’ll get in the way of using all club resources to paying their own debts. So here’s your link between these two problems for ya.

I leave for a while and the soap box derby is in full swing. Great War and Peace article FS, I went through a whole box of tissues. Jokes aside you cannot turn back the tide until the new stadium is built FS. Tickets are at a premium and so over subscribed nobody has to react or cater for any interest group at the moment. If we can get a capacity of 70 000, I think I read somewhere how the Twats, not that I believe them, what to make it affordable for all people. Also the increased Kop seating and design to maximize the singing was very much in the right vain, just a pity they did not mach that sentiment and commitment with actual deeds. They remind me of a snake oil salesman, saying all the right things but the end product is fake.

With regards to the other debate, just because you don’t jump up and down does not make you any less of a fan. I understand and agree with FS’s analogy of the curiosity tourist and to be honest if we had the capacity to accommodate them from time to time it would not be an issue, everybody needs an education and to see what it means to be part of a family. The plain and simple fact remains that we need a bigger stadium with pricing to suit all our fans no matter where they come from. The Kop or a large section of it, needs to be reserved for the diehards and locals, I use that term lightly but people who go regularly or most of the time, familiarity with those that surround you creates banter and an atmosphere and that has to be cultivated at all costs.

One last thing, I don’t get as much time as I used to so bear with me, this media bombardment by dumb and dumber has coincided with SOS’s announcement that they will do everything in their power to keep them away from Anfield, also the announcement that THicks is looking for a minority investor. They are trying to create a positive atmosphere for the sale. Can you imagine a potential investor arrives with the Twats and they are hackled, blockaded and harassed every step of the way, they get to the stadium, if they are lucky enough to do so, then the crowd inside starts to hurl abuse at them. Would you invest and go into partnership with people that are obviously hated to the extent that these two are?

My favorite flag is Paisley’s.

Lads I decided to spend some time researching Everton blog sites, to see if I’m being unreasonable with my opinions.
.
Well lets take their model for success into account, local owners, local sponsors, local crowd, local ground. Bucket loads of around the corner blue’s. Seems to be working well.
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While we’re busy discussing corporate takeovers, international sponsors and world wide domination, their talking about Us. LFC. Blaming us for everything from global warming to nuclear power plants.
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FS I am not foolish enought to believe the atmosphere of 30 years ago, with blue collar working class, high unemployment, low wages terraces can be replaced, but I still want to do what my money is paying for, and thats watch my beloved team play.
.
I’m not there for the circus, I there for the show. I’m there to support the team, whether thats with clapping or singing, I’ll do what I can do. How fucking good is our supporters when half the lads on here would sit in the away fans end rather than miss the game. That in itself is atmosphere.

Hope Mash and SG start in the middle tomorrow, playing Lucas as well looks too defensive.With Aurelio on the left, Kuyt on the right Benny and Toro up front, a 2-0 away win is where the smart money will be going.

Its refreshing to see you call yourself the smart money Burgerman

I think it’ll be Masch and Lucas in the middle tomorrow with Stevie returning to the front as Benni will be celebrating the Jewish new year. Mozel tof Benni! But I agree, we should have too much for them and 2-0 sounds about right. Yeah LB I thought it was a good article that shone a light on some of the madness. He writes some decent articles that bloke. Anyway, roll on 2pm, the Jewish holiday is getting me a half day ‘n all! Woohoo!

#146. Has a fatal flaw LB… when have footy fans ever been logical and well balanced. On top of that… Adebayor “Slightly reacts?” Come come mate.

The fact is, Adebayor spent the week before this game attacking the Arsenal fans in every paper that would listen. He then unleashed a rehearsed deliberate celebration to do exactly what it did – goad them.

I’m not defending Arsenal fans. But come on mate. You know half of them who threw a wobbler wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing normally. Have a look round the Emirates. Fuck me. We’ve been moaning about the Kop. Well, if it ever gets like that… shoot me.

But don’t shoot the messenger lads. I just told you how it is on the kop nowadays and what is happening. If you don’t like the message, that’s your problem not mine.

And Lurgy is entirely right… H&G will do fuck all. In fact, they’ll do exactly what I said… dismantle it more and more. Because they know there’ll always be another jester hat wearing fan along at any minute.

Got to go but…
Dropping Gerrard back to midfield is about the most defensive thing we can do with our formation right now and there probably won’t be any Bennayoun. So, Masch protecting the back four with Lucas aside him with a brief to get forward.

FS, isn’t it about time people become a bit more logical and balanced in footy? Fans start a riot and the player who slid on his knees gets the blame for it.

Fans abuse their own players for a season, compile a spoof brochure mocking one of them and then cry because that player gives an interview in the newspaper that criticises their treatment of certain players.

And my comment about “slight reactions” is a general comment. I’ll give another example. Liverpool fans giving Mourinho stick in the Carling cup final a few years back. Gerrard scores an O.G and Mourinho puts his fingers to his lips. Liverpool fans go ape shit and then people try to blame Mourinho for inciting the crowd. Bloody ridiculous mate. That’s why I say some supporters need to grow up. Just because some of them have always behaved like morons doesn’t mean they should continue to do so without ever being told…. “actually your being a bit of an idiot mate, you just slaughtered the guy for 90 mins and now you want blood because he put his finger to his lips”.

Like I said LB, I have no problem with any of it, but it’s got to be a give and take situation.

You can’t expect Arsenal fans to not react – especially considering the history.

As I said in a previous comment, John Radford an Arsenal center forward donkey in the 70′s was getting loads of stick from the Kop at one game. He scored a goal, ran to the kop, dropped his shorts and mooned us.

It was great. It became the done thing whenever Radford played at Liverpool. We sang the song. HE showed his arse. Great stuff.

And there was a ref called Kirkpatrick. He had a baldy head with a stripe of hair going right down the middle. Whenever he gave a decision against us The Kop would sing – Your Arse Is On Your Head. He would laugh like fuck and eventually showed us his arse, mooning us at the end of his career.

Nobody moaned or kicked off. Happy days. Granted they are lighter hearted examples but there was others that were more serious and just get met with piss taking chanting. And the players would flip us the bird especially if scored or their team won.

But like every other aspect of the game today, this is all over hyped now. Why life has got nastier is beyond me. Back in them days there was far more dinner times than dinners. I’m not giving it the Oliver Twist bit but going to bed hungry was nothing strange.

Nowadays, I have everything I can think of whereas it used to be a struggle just to feed and cloth the kids. Now, I run a household, 2 cars and a works van and it takes me a lot less graft than just putting meat and potatoes on the table used to. So, it’s not as if times are meaner or harder.

Yes. Footy fans should grow up – including us in here at times. How many times do we see conspiracies and get pissed off at things that really don’t exist? But that’s footy mate and if you take it out of it, we might aswell all start eating the prawn sarnies and going the theatre.

PS His head did look just like an arse from back on the kop. Bit of a legend with old kopites that fella.

You may not like Stan B. but he was right about the Spion Kop and it brought back a lot of memories,things I had forgotten about,like the balloon going towards the goal-I don’t know about peeing in the pockets,but certainly,the River Kop was there and you either moved if you could, or wore ‘wellies’ if you were going there.

He just gets on my nerves Jack, with all them German jokes. Find him about as funny as chicken pox. Ken Dodd, now there’s a comedian. But I put that up as he’s spot on about the old days. Bet it took you back a bit.

It’s funny you know, I said just the other day that I had never met a Liverpool player (past or present) at Heathrow……… Well, that all changed today. But I

(I started so I’ll finish) am not going to tell you who he is strightaway. I will give you 3 clues (let’s have a bit of fun) and I will bet that FS will be the first one to guess him.

clue 1. He was a centre half

clue 2. He was born in 1959

clue 3. He made his debut in the Charity shield at Wembley in 1990.

Good luck lads. Sorry, no prizes for the winner.

I’m feeling generous……..

clue 4. He’s not English!

Nice one Fatty
Kudos for gettin Knight tickets I might even hassel you for one or 2 over the christmas period
But in fairness talk about Adebayor talking to the mirror………………
Shur aren’t those lads just a bunch of wankers!!

Now for the record I think Ade acted like a wanker and the Arse fans acted like a bunch of kids but using the mirror as an example is bollaxed to begin with

They are the biggest shower of shites to begin with

Gaz…….is it even possible to get a prawn sammo in Anfield and if so I’m curious about it.

I usually have one for brekkie everyday (prob cause I live in Korea near the ocean and its the least glamorous option on the menu!!

Anyway roll on West Ham and fuck the Prawn samwitch,Hicks and Gillette argument!!

Over and out

Born in 1959, centre half, not English…
It’s down to 3 fellas. I think I know it. Well, I’m pretty sure I know it, but don’t want to put it up and ruin the quiz. So, I’ll just say, I think he’s got the same initials as our illustrious “custodians.”

Spot on FS, I knew you’d know it!

And a nice subtle way of keping the fun going with the “custodians” line. Fair play to you, sir!

By the way, who were the other two who you thought it could have been?

Donal he was in practically every paper every day all week. This is the headline from the Daily Mail verbatim…
ARSENAL FANS SCARED ME FOR LIFE!

FFS, I thought they’d set about him with a Stanley Knife.

Oh and here’s something…
Because the FA rushed that through, it leaves them open to all sorts of suspicion.

Did they rush it to suit Utd?

I don’t think so, and if they had what a fucking boob that could turn out to be – as we all know who would be first in line to replace him.

Sadly though it looks like Tevez mightn’t make the game. Which is a sickner.

On the hypocrisy of the media… The Tramp today called City “A Small Club.”

If I remember rightly didn’t he just call someone arrogant and beyond the pale for saying the same thing?

On top of that, he went on to say “They are a small club, with a small mentality.”

But today, all day, on Talk Shite they have been going on and on about the Master and His Mind Games. And how he already has his apprentice running scared.

Well, as far as I know, City are going to be without Adebayor (defo) their player of the season so far, Tevez and Ireland.

So, I wonder what excuse the media will come up with if City beat them.

Up until about 5 minutes ago I was hoping City would marmalise them, but I’m starting to rethink that….
I honestly think City will be more danger to us this season than Utd, and winning their derby will only fill them with confidence and get them really believing they can win the whole thing.

And in all honesty, I think they can too.

Hansen and Gillespie

Think I have got it as well, thanks to FS’s clue.

The silver streak. I believe he was captain as well sometime during his LFC career. Could be wrong thought since I was a nipper at the time.

Fatty
Fair enough I dont get the papers in Korea so throw the fucker to the wolves( I really mean that)

Cunne give a shite!

Really I only give a shite about Wet Spam and am glad for the 3 pts Vs. Debrenetci

I’ll make no predictions but;ll be more than happy with 3 pts

On the wrong end of the bottle right now!!!

Over

Lurgan, Yeah it looks like you have got the right man as well.

Anyone else have an Idea?

FS, it’s funny you mention Gillespie and Hansen.
I saw Hansen at Woking Station once with Gary Lineker. Couldn’t get to speak to big Al though as he was on his mobile the whole time until he got on the train.

Coincidently, Gillespie and Hansen (the first letters in their surnames) are the initials of our man. Spooky, eh?

What about this for a solution for the PSB.

We open a prawn sandwhich van just outside of Anfield. If some fucker buys one, then some hired heavies pounce on him, pummel the wanker (baseball bats are optional – six inch nails in the bat are also optional) take his ticket and give it to a ‘real’ red. A similar system used to work in Norn Iron, so why not at Anfield?

BTW, enjoy the match Knight, mate.

Lurgan, what happens if a “REAL RED” happens to like prawns?

They are supposed to be an aprhrodisiac you know!! (lol)

Looks like FS and Lurgan are the only two guessing the identity of the ex-red that I saw today congratulations fellas, you are both right it was indeed —- —–.

Looks like we will be going for goals tomorrow, Rafa has said on the main site that he wants goals from everywhere. 2 from anywhere without reply will float my boat tomorrow Evening!

Co-lateral damage Steve .

Also, they always have the chance to get their tickets back, once they wake-up, from the other non ‘real reds’ that have been battered whilst they were unconscious.

I admit that it needs a bit more thought and, at the moment, it’s not a perfect solution. The real problem is that I like prawns!

So do I Lurgan, but I won’t be buying them from a van anywhere near Anfield!