first!

Nice one ged. My thoughts exactly. Far to many times we’ve got a result like this only to blow it in our very next game. One game at a time and take it from there.
I especially liked that touch about pepe things like that can certainly make a difference to a struggling team,as for the support for rafa it’s also a huge relief to hear because from what I was seeing and hearing it seemed everyone was begining to turn on him. So thank you to all the men women and children who were imvovled in that show of strength.
The performance against spurs was by no means our prettiest but was what the doctor ordered and it’s bound to give the lads a great boost of confidence knowing that gerrard torress and benny don’t need to be relied on.
I see degan is still getting a bit of a hard time in here and I don’t understand how people cant see how useful he can be. The lad has been crocked with injuries and now he’s getting a chance he’s giving it 110% from what I can see.
Gerry you mentioned him not taking on that shot well he did well to get into that position and if you watch it again he was trying to cut it back in(classic sign of someone just lacking in games) I do think we’ve a decent player there just needs a run of games.
Anyway right result and let’s hope we can go from strength to strength now.

I can never understand this internets culture of wanting to grab the first comment of every blog posted, it becomes even more annoying when they just go “first” without posting anything substantial. Abhisek, I really don’t want to have a go at you, but please do take this as a friendly advice.

Anyway, back to topic, great blog as usual, Gerry. Firstly I must apologize to Gerry and the rest here at Kopblog (EXCEPT His Most Infallibale Holy King of the Kop and his cohorts, as well as closet-cunt-sucker BurgerManc) for going into a catatonic hibernation during this cruelest of winters.

Yet the intensity of the media witch-hunt has reached insane proportions after the FA Cup exit that I was compelled to come out once again to support the team against Lucky Media Favourite Spurs.

It’s just like raising a child, you may occasionally feel frustrated and disappointed that your kid isn’t living up to your expectations and even defying you by acting like a spoilt brat, but when you see him dashing out to a busy motorway, your innate love for him would always compel you to quickly grab him to safety.

This is the kind of loyalty that BM, His Holiness and other Anti-Rafa wankers will never understand.

Most of you here has already gone through the players’ performance and attitude last night, so there’s no point in me repeating what’s been said.

Though unnoticed by many, during this time I would applaud Chief Exec Christian Purslow for standing by Rafa, he was certainly more sensible than all the Anti-Rafa horde and media witch-hunters. Purslow has done more in his 7 months with Liverpool than Prick Parry has ever done in his decade with us.

Much as I want them out eventually, I would commend the two Yanks for keeping an at-arms-length distance all this time and allowed Purslow to do his job. With the exception of Hicks Jr’s infamous “Blow me fuckface” rant, the two goons have more or less resisted the witch-hunter’s call to burn Rafa at the stake.

Speaking of Hicks Jr’s infamous rant, perhaps someone could make a banner with either images of Whining Redknapp Jr, “I’m better than Rafa” Souness, Coward Collymore, Andy Bitter Gray, etc with that quote below them

“Blow me fuckface, go to hell. I’m sick of you.”

That’s grearv reading Gerry,
i wonder how many teams in the prem could have carried the burden of atrocious luck and media witch-hunting and still remain 1 point outside the top 4 that LFC have had to deal with this season (not to mention the in-house disruption Babel has caused), well IMO, not very many, look at portsmouth for instance (i know they beat us ) they have’nt had half the injuries we’ve had and have internal troubles just like us, look were they are.
Your right as well Gerry, Hercules does look like he’s here for the long haul.
YNWA.

Sixth!!

Ah Kinny – it’s a bit of fun (the old First! statement) and I really don’t see why people get upset by it

Anyway – I could hear the fans on the TV and it did definitely sound old school – they have a big part to play in the coming few months – we need them up for all the games too just like the players

Thanks for the read Gerry!
Just read a good article from the Times, written by someone other than Tony Barret (it’s not by a fully fledged ‘expert’ mind, but still worth a read) – had to post the link coz any good press on Rafa these days is as rare as a Berbatov goal.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/fanzine_fanzone/2010/01/why-benitez-deserves-the-chance-to-turn-liverpool-around.html

Thanks for the blog Gerry-as an aside,I was reading an old magazine about the Tower of London and it mentioned a member of the Irish aristocracy named Ormonde, any wayback relation? You certainly are one of the Liverpool FC aristocrats to many of us.
The next Premiership game is at the Wolve’s home ground and they will win that one.Dare I mention that I was at the Red’s home game and in the Kop when the ground record was set at over 61 thousand. Even though the Kop was so packed,I got some exercise running up and down the steps when the crowd ‘swayed’- happy days!

I’m not sure about that Jack but I guess there may be some connection somewhere along the line. I don’t think I’d fancy being a “blue” blood though.

ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/22/steve-bruce-liverpool-antics

Not only has Ferguscum cocksucker Steve Bruce constantly steal points from Liverpool to give them freely to his master, including resorting to using a beachball (though he himself wasn’t directly involved), he has now done a Moaning O’Neill by pretending to be aggrieved at Kenwyn Jones being “tapped up” by Rafa.

I only have these words for you Bruce:

Blow me fuckface, go to hell. I’m sick of you.

Kinny,

I see Hicks Jr has given you some inspiration

I’m glad Rafa doesn’t do the same thing when Maureen tried to tempt Gerrard away for 2 seasons

Great Blog as usual Gerry and I cannot fault any of it.

Lucas for once did not have the best of games yet still managed to put in a decent shift.

It really is amazing how much we have missed Reira on the left. Yes he is not the spectacular flying winger we crave, but he brings so much balance to the team, one quickly forgets the importance of that.

The fan where spectacular as they single handily gave the team a sense of pride and belief and this was, starting at Stoke, the foundation for the teams gutsy performance. As many have said it really makes you proud to be a member of this club, with fellow supports (for the majority) feeling as much pride and passion, not to mention, hurt for what the team and Rafa are going through. The media witch hunt has been one of the most disgusting I have ever seen and that is a bad indictment, coming from the English press who have to be the most bile in the world when it comes to that type of thing.

Rafa loosing the dressing room, Transfer policy 70% duds, spent massive amounts of money Aquilani a 20mill flop, Gerrard bust up, Gerrard leaving etc, etc Its all just plain crap yet some of our supporters and even worse ex players that I once respected have jumped onto this hyped up bandwagon.

Funny how quite Bowl Movement and the CBC are nowhere to be seen after good performances.

Yes Rome was not built in a day, but with the support the real fans showed and the commitment the team showed its only a mater of time before we are comfortably in the top 4 and then who knows what can happen when we have a fully fit squad full of confidence, after all we have the best manger in the Prem and he has still some distance to take us, long may it last YNWA.

Excellent blog Gerry, and a great result for the Reds on Wednesday too.

The support the team got outside and inside the ground must have made the players feel 10 feet tall. That’s just brilliant.

Harry Redknapp said after the match that Liverpool worked their socks off and deserved their victory. We will go to Wolves with our tails up now.

sorry not to write anything except first – my boss popped up nd took me to a meeting and rest you can all guess. All i wanted to write at that time was that width has improved the performance of our team and it was defo a great moment of relief to see Reira back in action. He is definitely a class and an unknown soldier (or rather who is not talked about a lot) who makes our troop perform better..I have lost faith in recent months and overcame that and i found it is definitely worth coming to this blog and read all sensible comments and burgermania.

Things have been so bad at Liverpool lately that the kids from Alder Hey hospital turned up at Anfield before the Spuds game to cheer the players up!

I was at the game on Wed and the atmosphere at times was crackling, it always helps when we get an early goal as well. I wasn’t aware of the supporters greeting the coach before the game but it seemed to work as the players definitely responded to the crowd and vice versa with Hercules and Carra inspiring the kop to amake even more noise with some full blooded defending, especially that run just before half time by Carra.

We could have a bit of a cult hero on our hands with Kyrgiakos and I see no reason why him and Skrtel should not stay in the team for at least the next two matches and even possibly against the Blue Noses if they carry on as they have done in the last two matches because I can see an aerial bombardment with very little pace in all the games against Wolves, Bolton and the Blueshite. Players seem to be responding around Kyrgiakos as he is certainly giving 100% in everything he does and long may it continue.

Nice to come on here and see a bit of positivity. Keep up the good work everyone.

I thought the committment and determination shown by the boys was excellent. They almost seem to play better when Gerrard isn’t yelling at them…just a thought. Particularly impressed with Kryagkos (sp?) in the last couple games, especially as when we first got him I thought he looked extremely suspect.

I also thought Degen did okay and showed some great pace and position, he just needs to work on his decision making and final ball at times but for a full back who was basically converted into a winger he did pretty well. Another example of Rafa getting his tactics spot on. Perhaps this’ll at least keep all these ex-players quiet for a week. Perhaps this is what annoys me the most about the Rafa witchhunt: I expect it from the media and from the likes of Souness and Collymore but some of the former names who’ve come out with such knee-jerk analysis have really disappointed me. People like Ronnie Whelan for example should know better. He’s entitled to his opinion of course but it’s a shame to have to chuck him in the same catagory as the likes of Redkanpp Jr and Lawrenson.

Still, in spite of all the crap we all heard after the Reading game I’d say the fans reaction before the Spurs game summed up that any supporter with half a brain knows Rafa’s the man for the job. Althrough I think I’m gonna hit the next idiot who says “Liverpool should ger Mourinho in!”. How short some people’s memories seem to be! I don’t doubt his ability but as a person, I wouldn’t want that swine anywhere near my club.

Great blog Gerry sir..
Bang on target Sousake

Let alone mourning whore, nobody and i mean nobody can replace Rafa at Liverpool atleast as of now.

Some of the media take on Rafa and our current situation did my head in. I have refrained myself from commenting or reading for the past few days. Except for a few blogs like kopblog, tomkins column and few wise comments from people like keithsa, LB, FS etc i have refrained myself from reading anything else.

Have to see how much we take from spurs game in the wolves game.. I hope we play the same and Gerrard comes on as a sub later on. This team is more than good enough for wolves..

I don’t know if you lads noticed, but Lawro is one of our biggest assets at the moment. He keeps picking us to lose, subsequently our results have got better. He picked us to lose 2 shit to Spurs. Keep picking against us Lawro.
.
I just noticed it’s a fair break between games at the moment, no game till Tuesday (Wednesday over here), that’s a fair break, should give the lads a nice recovery.

Hi Gang,

Good to see a positive vibe here. That game against Spurs could be, it seems, a huge turning point for the team and club. I know we’ve been here before with the Everton, Manure and Villa wins but really this was s*it or bust for us. Spurs would have been 7 points up and where would the confidence and support have been in the face of the relentless media and “supporters” noise to take Benitez’s ground from under him.

It was a funny game in a way, for me we played a somewhat limited, simple game and it was sheer will from terraces as well as from the heart of the players that made a difference. That and Benitez tactics as well as the re-appearance of Riera, an oddity for Liverpool, a left-sided attacking player playing on the left…. ahem.

I am very happy with this because we need to build back our confidence and the swing will come in time. We also needed everyone to pull for the manager and the club. This is our perfect nightmare season, everything that could, has gone wrong on top of very high expectations, not a great mix that. I think the gravity of the situation really hit home to the fans and they have responded, this is our hour of need. There will be plenty of time for debating all the issues, the way forward etc .. particularly at the end of the season. But now Rafa is the manager and the team is what we got, full stop.

As many have said here I’ll echo, fair dues to Hercules and Degan, not exactly fan’s favourites but they did their part.

Wolves, next up, is a different challenge. It will be another battle of the Stoke variety and we have to be really up for it again. If we are and bad luck stays away we should win, Wolves are not anywhere as good and ugly as Stoke. Likewise against Bolton and then that brings us to the Bitters.

Another couple of wins and I think we could see the green shoots taking hold, I know Gerry sees icebergs lurking but momentum and a rising tide of confidence is possible now. This could be our turning point.

Prem games we’ve lost this season and some reasons/excuses.
Spurs 21 stiches 1 broken jaw 1 denied pen Voronin.
Villa 1 og 1 pen.
Chavs 1 denied pen Skyrtel.
Sunderland No SG & FT 1 beachball.
Fulham 11 squad players injured 2 sent off.
Arsenal 1 OG 1 denied pen Gerrard
Portsmouth 1 sent off.
Now some of this is bad luck, Some of this is bad referee’s ,and some of it is bad loser, ie me.
But they are match changing moments.
It sure is a fine line between sharpening the knives, and using the knives.
YNWA.

The trench warfare with the lads digging deep was great to see and yes at times it was far from the free flowing attacking football we played last year. However it really was just what the doctor ordered. Gradually as the game progressed especially in the second half you could see the confidence return. With that the football we played took a big step forwards in terms of quality and style.

We created a fair number of really good chances that a team with confidence would have converted on another day. Without, arguably, a quarter of our most attacking and influential flair players in Torres, Gerrard, Benny and Johnson that was very good and encouraging to see. Agger also gives us another dimension going forward as well. Take that out of any other team other than Chelsea and they would be hard pressed to come up with the goods.

El Zhar is another player that has been out most of the year and I cannot remember ever witnessing such a run of injuries. If we can get behind the team as we did in the last two matches their confidence will grow, as will the quality, self belief and style of football. The injured players will come back in and we can have a really good strong finish to the season.

Am I alone in thinking that the team has looked better since Gerrard became injured?
I realise that this is a view point that may be met with derision but I think Stevie has become a liability this season, his body language and general demeanour have done nothing to rally those players around him and he has not filled his captains role to anything like he should. Indeed it is fair to say that he may be unsettling some players instead of engendering team spirit.

All of this in the past has generally been covered by inspirational moments and he has led the team by example, and in terms of performance what an example he has been, but this season the performances have been really quite poor, and for whatever reason(injuries or disillusionment at events around him) what has been exposed is how poor a captain Gerrard actually is.

I want everybody to understand that I Have no axe to grind here, Gerrard has been and will always be remembered as one of the greats, and I personally can say that a great deal of my favourite memories have the man playing a lead role in them, but this has been bothering me for the whole of the season and the last two performances without him we looked like a team that was proud to play in the red shirt and was going to go down fighting.

I know two matches does not a summer make but the leadership that carragher showed as opposed to the bitching and sulking I have seen from our captain could not be more contrasting.

Aquiliana is going to be a big player for us if he stays injury free, he doesn’t seem scared of the premier league and he is starting to look like a real talent, for me he is working hard and his game is improving by the match, good to see performances by Degan and Kyrgiakos, the former a limited player who despite his injury record fought for every ball that came his way and ran for his whole time on the pitch, not good enough a player for this club but has done his best for us, as for Kyrgiakos my initial thoughts were that he was no replacement for Hyppia and I would still not put him in the same category as the great man but didn’t he do well

Everybody gave their all and I think it is safe to say that talk of Rafa losing the dressing room is rubbish, but I worry about Gerrard

You are not alone in thinking that Carra should be the first choice team Captain 5yearplan, I know alot of Reds fans who feel exactly the same.

I actually think it would be lifting a burden off Gerrard’s shoulders if he was relieved of the Captaincy responsibilities, but I suppose that won’t happen.

Jamie Carragher has all the attributes that a Captain should have in my opinion, and a centre half is in the perfect position to marshall his team.

now if we win at Wolves on Tuesday night and Fulham can get something at Tottenham the same night with Man.City playing at Man.U in the Leauge cup the following night……… Then victory at Molinuex will see us in fourth place in the Prem………….. Heady stuff, eh?

5yearplan, you’re not alone in thinking that Gerrard’s constant sulking is becoming a liability on the team morale.

Perhaps stripping him of the captaincy, as Houllier did with Hyypia, could give him the cliched “kick up the backside” that he badly needs? Carra would be the natural successor, a third option would be Reina.

BTW, Gerry, I think you ought to give Degen a bit of slack. His attitude these past few games have shown me that he isn’t one to moan at his misfortune, and is willing to grit his teeth and fight for his spot. Rafa certainly didn’t buy him to have him sit in the bench for 2 whole seasons and he knows that.

Excellent blog Gerry about an excellent result for the Reds. Well done to the team and supporters. That was the best atmosphere that I’ve heard at Anfield for quite a while.

Nothing more really to add to what has gone before but fair fucks to Hercules and Degan for knuckling down when they were needed.

Like Kinny (welcome back) and STR 5year, I agree that Stevie G running around with a face like a slapped arse this season is becoming a problem for Rafa. He would probably take the stripping of captaincy as a step back and would not improve the situation. Oh to be a (man) manager.

Personally I see Reina as the next LFC captain and hope that he will be for many years. The man is pure, dare I say world, class.

Lurgan, can a goalkeeper be an effective Captain?

Great blog Gerry.

Rather than look too far ahead, I would like the players just to concentrate on the next and focus on that and build momentum. Rather than think Everton, Arsenal and Man City in next few weeks we need to think Wolves. We have 10 out of a possible 12 in the last 4 league games and have only conceded 1 goal. That is momentum. Clean sheet and 3 points against wolves, then momentum continues and then we focus on Bolton.
With momentum comes form, and then we gradually get our key players back and play better football and the momentum continues until we are confident of beating everybody.
But the key is focus on Wolves which I am sure they will be doing.

Come on now fellas (some)- Steve is injured and he sees one of his dreams going out of the window.
The way the team (under the supervision of Rafa) has been playing with all the injuries bodes well for the Reds. The crowd was magnificent before and during the Tottering Hotspur game – keep it up for all those who can’t get to the games but only watch it on TV!

The guys on the main site have finally seen the light and invited me to stir things up over there by covering some news items and match previews etc.
If there’s anything of interest I’ll post some links here or in the blogs. Here’s a link to my first post over there and I hope you like my tabloid-like headline!
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2010/01/23/barmy-bruce-blasts-benitez/

Nicely Done Gerry, good to see you getting a chance to write on the Main Site..

Nice to see the English press out in force about the Kenwyne Jones unsettling matter. They don’t seem to have a problem with the Bruce unsettling Beckford (Leeds) matter. Oh maybe it’s not the same.
.
Why would we actually want anyone from a team who’s top scorer is a beach ball.

Bruce is like “Malice in Wonderland”.

I reckon Bruce wouldn’t have said anything if there wasn’t actually a chance of us singing Jones.
He’s just trying to save face in front of the Sunderland fans, so that when he loses his striker, he can portray us as the bad guys… while he laughs all the way to the bank with a packet of dosh he can buy other players with!

I know a lot of people don’t rate Kenwyne Jones, but I’d be interested in seeing what he could do in a good side.

In the meantime… for the doubters out there… this from Sami Hyppia…

“Rafa is an excellent man-manager and during all my time at Liverpool everybody liked him and everybody respected him.
Players don’t stick up for their gaffer if you are not a good man-manager. It would be easy for the players to blame the manager, but they are taking responsibility and sticking up for their boss – and that’s a rare thing now.”

I was listening to a BBC interview re-Tevez’s manager talking about Tevez’s time at Man U. It was sickening hearing the BBC’s man and his ass-licking comments defending Gary Neville. I had to turn it off it was so bad.

Are we in for Jovanovic of Std Liege? Seems that something has been offered. Can anyone clarify?

Apparently we’ve offered him a contract – anyone know if he’s any use?

Some interesting stats here.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11096_2705370,00.html

There are a few that stand out for me e.g Lucas and his passing. Also, look at Villa as a team for their number of passes. Would you want MON as your manager with a game-plan like that? Ged years here we go again but at least we would not need any midfielders.

STR, it never done Zoff any harm but that doesn’t really answer your question. Personally I do not have any problem with a goalie being the captain. Do you?

Oh and was the Arse not (deservedly) beaten by Stoke at the weekend. Surely there must be a national outcry for that, or at least from BM.

This ‘headline’ made me laugh:

Kenny Dalglish has been named as the greatest striker British football has seen since the Second World War by Four Four Two magazine.

Who in the name of fowler/shankly participates in this crock of shite. Dalglish was not even a striker!

Fowler was in 41st, Owen in 33rd, Liddell in 36th and Rush in 7th.

Complete nonsense that gives you a measure of the fuckwits (supporters) who vote on these type of things.

The mind does boggle!

“Rafa is an excellent man-manager and during all my time at Liverpool everybody liked him and everybody respected him.
Players don’t stick up for their gaffer if you are not a good man-manager. It would be easy for the players to blame the manager, but they are taking responsibility and sticking up for their boss – and that’s a rare thing now.”

i wonder what those keyboard/joystick-managers have to say about that.

Rumour No. 1: According to The Daily Express, Liverpool have offered a three year deal (with the option of a one year extension) to Standard Liege striker Milan Jovanovic as they hope to tie up a free transfer for the Serbian.

since he is in our budget it could be true. free transfer. I believe he could provide a new option up front in Torres absence.

Gerry,
what’s wrong with the engine room buddy, it takes about 5mins to get connected with kop blog.

Lurgan, I think you’ll find that Kenny Dalglish WAS a Striker!

As for Reina being a captain, I just think it will be better suited to an outfield player who can comunicate more effectively with players’s all over the pitch. Would Rafa appoint Reina as captain?

I doubt it, but you never know!

Steve, was Dalglish a striker? Not in my book. Attacking midfielder, or ‘man in the hole’, at best. Jaysus, he wore the #7 jersey.

Fair enough about the captaincy but after SG and JC are away who is the natural successor? Masch? I can’t see him being here next season not alone in 3-4 seasons.

Maybe Dagger would be a dark horse but, as JackHill says, SG is our captain and I don’t see this changing very soon.

Redman, I’m not sure what’s been going on with the site over the past couple of days. I let the techie guys know about it and everything appears to be back to normal now so hopefully they fixed the problem.

Lurgan,

kuyt has the stuff of a captain and a motivator. However he is around “in the time of Gerrard” so won’t get a go at it.

For me a captain is a guy who communicates and also who does not let his head go down when things get tough. Who does not moan and put down his own players when they try and do not succeed.

I’ll tell you who possibly could make a good captain down the road, a guy who has been and still is going through a very rough and “tough love” season or two with the Anfield faithful but who has a great deal of resilience and always plays for the team. If Rafa is still here in 2/3 years time I would have a few quid on him wearing the armband.

Guess who ?

Thought ye’d like that !

Dougle

Easy – that’s Lucas

no way double. I don’t see Lucas as Captain material.
The lad gets stuck in and gets on with his job, and this season at least, has been “leading by example” with his performances, in the same way SG does, but he’s not a gee-up-the-lads type of guy.

A good Captain is a tricky thing… it takes a particular mentality (to rip off one of the gaffers fave words.)

Masch fits that bill far better, but he’s a bit “immature” in terms of his energy. And by that, I mean he has had a tendency to lose his head a bit…
There’s a fine line between being the big yard dog and an out of control rabid animal. Most of the time Masch walks the fine line pretty well… but giving him the armband might just quell his natural aggression, which worked wonders to take the “over the top” stuff out of SG’s game, but wouldn’t be a good thing where Masch is concerned, in my opinion!

Kuyt wouldn’t be a bad captain…
… but Carra is the one that should have gotten the armband (though actually, at the time SG got it, there was no reason to take it off Sami Hyppia, who though he was only “vice-captain” actually did the job more often than not, and did it well.)
Pepe could do the biz, though I personally think its a mistake to have a goalie captain, they aren’t really in a position to influence things.

But its a mute discussion as the armband is SGs until he leaves, retires, or says he no longer wants it. I can’t see it being taken off him.

Are the server problems the reason why there are only 47 posts, or is everyone still in an alcohol coma after the Spurs win?

Casillas is the captain for Real Madrid, i think. and so is Gigi buffon for Juve.

kuyt would make a good captain, leading by example with his commitments and energies.

Lucas would be another good candidate, having led his Brazillian under 20 to the final and win the damn thing.

Rumors today that Rafa’s heading to Juve in the summer with Hiddink replacing him at LFC.

Honestly, I would want Rafa to stay and to fight on. Despite Hiddink’s reputations, he is still cupless………………..

In Rafa I STILL trust

Good point by Shearer regarding Rooney carrying the manure team.
If Liverpool (supposedly) are a two man team, then what the f**k does that make the glorious united team? I wish a reporter would ask old rednose about that…