Posts Tagged ‘LFC’
Time to go Hicks you Bastard!
Posted: October 5, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: LFC, Liverpool Football Club, Tom Hicks
Liverpool FC: 57% vote to end the ‘Rafalution’
Posted: May 16, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: LFC, Liverpool Football Club, Rafa Benitez, Rafalution
57% says it's time to end the Rafalution
On May 10th I set up a simple poll which asked if Rafa was still the man to lead Liverpool. Of the 206 votes cast 57% (117) said ‘No’ and felt it was time to end the ‘Rafalution’ and find a new manager, with 43% (89) feeling Benitez should still be the man in charge. In comparison, when I asked the same question back in December only 29% felt it was time for a managerial change.
Gutsy display gives Liverpool FC deserved victory over dirty Everton: Portsmouth loss the catalyst to new found form.
Posted: February 7, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: Dirk Kuyt, English Premier League, everton, LFC, Liverpool Football Club, merseyside derby, Rafa Benitez
Kuyt's excellent header wins the derby
There’s going to be a lot of analysis about Liverpool’s excellent win over Everton on Saturday with the main focus on the Reds grit and determination, even when they were down to ten men. Everton just couldn’t cope and resorted to tackles that should have brought them at least two red cards earlier in the game before Pienaar was eventually, and justifiably, sent off.
It was an enthralling match with few goal scoring chances, the highlights being Gerrard’s terrific free-kick from just outside the box that hit the cross-bar with Howard well beaten and Dirk Kuyt’s close range, match winning, header from a perfect Gerrard corner kick. Kuyt deserves a lot a credit for his positioning and persistence on that one. Fortunately, Cahill missed a glorious opportunity to put Everton ahead at the end of the 1st half although, looking at the replay, Reina may well have had it covered.
The big controversy’s of course were the sending off’s, or should I say the lack of them. (more…)
Roger and Out: Liverpool FC’s Gerrard the natural choice for the England captaincy.
Posted: February 1, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: LFC, Liverpool Football Club, Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard the automatic choice for England Captain
Until Fabio Capello makes a decision it has yet to be seen if John Terry has rogered his way out of England captaincy. In any event it seems highly unlikely that Terry will be asked to quit the national team altogether, he’s just too valuable. However, if the captaincy does go up for grabs then Steven Gerrard should be the automatic choice to replace him.
Gerrard is a natural leader. He has led Liverpool impeccably since 2003 (Wikipedia), he’s the ultimate motivator that leads by example, has the experience required, is a game winner and is simply the best midfielder in the world.
I read that Piers Morgan feels than Wayne Rooney should be offered the job if Terry is asked to step down but I just don’t see him having the temperament for the job that will be required in South Africa, even though he is having a phenomenal season. He’s still too volatile, though he has matured over the past couple of seasons. Plus, I don’t think Rooney would have any issues with Gerrard being the lead guy on the field as the two have a great relationship and respect for each other, according to Gerrard’s biography.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this situation plays out but if Gerrard does become the new England captain it will be a totally fitting reward for his flawless career and will make this years World Cup even more fascinating.
Technorati Tags: Steven Gerrard, England, John Terry, Liverpool FC, Wayne Rooney
Understandably the knives come out for Liverpool FC’s Rafa Benitez
Posted: January 13, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: Dirk Kuyt, English Premier League, FA Cup, LFC, Liverpool FC, Lucas, Rafa Benitez
Is it time for Rafa to leave Liverpool FC
After being knocked out of the FA Cup at home to struggling Championship team Reading on Wednesday, the knives understandably have come out for Liverpool FC’s manager Rafa Benitez. Benitez gave the FA Cup top priority but again the Liverpool team failed to produce the goods to beat a team 33 league places below them.
No longer can Benitez blame outside influences for the teams increasing number of defeats. He only has to look long and hard in the mirror to see the person who is the main cause of the teams failure. He’s the manager and even given the constraints on the budget to buy new players he has the squad to beat a team like Reading. There can be no more excuses. The concern is Rafa has simply run out of ideas on how to get the team to perform. It’s a staggering statement given Liverpool’s impressive run for the Premiership title last season.
January Transfer Window: £9m offer for Babel surprisingly rejected by Liverpool FC
Posted: January 8, 2010 in LFC PostsTags: LFC, Liverpool FC, Rafa Benitez, Ryan Babel, Transfer Window
Is Ryan Babel meant to stay at Anfield?
It wouldn’t come as a surprise to any Liverpool FC supporter if Ryan Babel was sold during the January transfer window. After paying Ajax £11.5m for him back in 2007 Babel has been unable to show his true potential at Anfield and display his undoubted talents to the full. It was therefore difficult to understand why Liverpool would reject a very good offer of £9m for him from Birmingham City.
Liverpool FC: dramatic win at Aston Villa gives the reds a perfect confidence building tonic
Posted: December 30, 2009 in LFC PostsTags: English Premier League, EPL, Fernando Torres, LFC, Liverpool FC, Pepe Reina, Rafa Benitez
Torres score his 50th brilliant goal
A spirited Liverpool FC display at Villa Park on Tuesday night, including a 93rd minute Fernando Torres winner, his 50th for Liverpool and the fastest ever scored by any Liverpool player, provided the perfect, confidence building, tonic the Red Men needed to give their ailing season some sort of momentum and a platform to build upon. In short, it will have given them belief.
Ironically, it was the match-winner Torres who looked the most out-of-sorts player on the field until he scored that beauty of a goal. The final ball was missing and the ones he did receive he was unable to capitalize on. His body language didn’t look good. But like the world-class striker he is, he only needed one clear-cut chance and he took it brilliantly. (more…)
Liverpool FC: Aston Villa game the true test of ‘character’
Posted: December 28, 2009 in LFC PostsTags: Aston Villa, English Premier League, EPL, LFC, Liverpool Football Club, Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard scoring against Wolves
Naturally, I was grateful for 3 points against Wolves on Saturday. The performance was less than convincing seeing as how it took a sending off to give us the advantage we needed to win the game. How times have changed when a home win against the team 6th from the bottom of the table is greeted with such relief. But under the circumstances we’ll take it and it was great to see Gerrard score such an excellent goal in front of the Kop.
So now on to Aston Villa. A must win game or a must not lose game? Unfortunately, I think Rafa will select his team and choose his tactics based on the latter. A draw would not be a bad result but a win at Villa Park would give the season some sort of momentum and give the team the confidence that they are so obviously lacking and desperately need.
On our last 3 visits to Villa we haven’t lost, winning 1 and drawing 2, however, with Villa just coming off a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal they will have something to prove to themselves and the home crowd. A very tough game, but it’s this kind of game we need right now to show what kind of ‘character’, as Rafa likes to say, this current Liverpool team really has.
Technorati Tags: Liverpool Football Club, LFC, Steven Gerrard, Aston Villa, English Premier League, EPL
Rafa Benitez: The odds of Rafa staying Liverpool FC’s manager are looking less & less likely
Posted: December 19, 2009 in LFC PostsTags: English Premier League, LFC, Liverpool Football Club, Rafa Benitez
Anyone involved in football’s top flight, both players and managers, know they are judged by their performances and their results. If a player is not producing the quality required week-in week-out he is dropped and, if things don’t improve, they are eventually transferred. No matter how great a servant they have been to the club, they will be let go. That’s the way it is. There’s no room for sentimentality at this level and nor should there be. Everyone knows it, everyone accepts it. You cannot be the best of the best if you don’t operate this way.
When it comes to management it’s no different. If you don’t get the performances from the team you assembled and don’t get the results then your ability and your methods should be questioned. It’s the right thing to do.
Liverpool Football Club are now in this position with Rafa Benitez. We have to put aside sentimentality and ask if Rafa is indeed the man to lead the team in the future. Liverpool FC are greater than any one individual will ever be.
After Liverpool’s performance today against Portsmouth, it’s looking less and less likely Benitez will be able to survive as manager much longer. He’s quickly loosing the support of Liverpool fan’s and one can only wonder if he were manager at Real Madrid or Chelsea how long they would allow this situation to continue.
It’s a sad state of affairs but at this level consistent poor performance usually results in one thing – the sack
Technorati Tags: Liverpool FC, Rafa Benitez, English Premier League
A loyal Liverpool FC supporter in conflict
Posted: December 19, 2009 in LFC PostsTags: Anfield, English Premier League, LFC, Liverpool FC, Rafa Benitez, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso
Alonso's departure a severe blow
Finding Liverpool in 6th place in the league, loosing 6 of their 17 games and 13 points adrift of Chelsea is a surreal experience, especially after the great run we had last season and the expectations it brought into this one. Perhaps I should have known better, especially after our indifferent pre-season form which carried into the beginning of the regular season, along with the fact the squad wasn’t strengthened as it should have been.
Being a loyal supporter I naturally want to do nothing but support Rafa and the team and, like Carragher, pray for better times and soon. I tell myself that criticizing the manager and the team won’t make the situation any better but can only make it worse and further fuel the negativity and doubt that has fallen over the club. But I’m a supporter in conflict. There needs to be change. (more…)
