Thursday 21 October 2010

Liverpool. Out In The River's Currents

     Thursday 21st October 2010. The date that most Liverpool fans are feeling may be a turning point for the team. We played OK. No goals scored, none conceded. No sending off, one yellow card. Many fans happy, optimistic and ready to face Blackburn on Sunday.
     Did I miss something? Did I watch a different game? For me, the team were sluggish, contained within the midfield and toothless in attack. The one chance for a clear goal, Babel managed to fluff it, his career at Anfield in a nutshell. My immediate reaction was one of slight relief, at not having conceded, but overall, frustration, again.
     You do not need me to tell you that Roy Hodgson stands upon the edge of the precipice, falling off it already if you believe some of the rumours doing the rounds on the Internet. Hodgson has rested key players for tonight's game, time will tell if that was correct. God knows there isn't much of a supporting argument as to who should play anymore, every squad player seems to be way below standard. However, it isn't the end of the world for the Europa League competition. It is now 5 points from 3 games, a much better return than the Premier League. Still something nags at me.
     Subbing Carragher at half time for Kyrgiakos. Apparently, according to the itv4 commentators, this was the plan all along. Something just doesn't ring true to that. Why at half time? Why bother playing Carragher at all. It was refreshing to see Hodgson even making subs before the 80th minute mark, something he hasn't displayed before.
    So, tonight, a frustrating performance, but optimistic by some. I can see both sides. If we win on Sunday then the points may start rolling along. The pressure will surely lift on Hodgson, his shoulders may seem lighter, the tie may be tighter, the buttons on his collar fastened and the nails on his fingers unsullied.
     Even though we took a point from the Napoli game, I feel that Hodgson still has immense pressure upon him. The smiling, genial face that greeted the camera on the Napoli field, was slightly bemused, almost knowing in its comic appearance. Does Roy know something we don't? Is he, like the rumours dictate, on the verge of being sacked, regardless of the result tonight? If so, are the rumours true about his replacement? Frank Rijkaard is an excellent manager but he needs the right back room staff. Henk Ten Cate, a key component of Rijkaard's back room staff,  is currently managing in the Arabian Penninsula. Hiddink is currently doing good things with the Turkish national side. Pelligrini is, apparently, in talks with the Qataris. Martin O'Neill is another name touted with the Liverpool job.
     Normally Liverpool is a club that does not court the attention of its managers precarious situations. However, Hodgson is drowning so evidently that the new owners will be forced to make a change soon, and they are not prone from immediate changes, the manager of the Red Sox lasted only a week. The outstanding favourite with the fans would be Pellegrini, not too sure on his European pedigree, he hasn't won any trophies nor has he impressed at a high level. Martin O'Neill can run a team on a tight budget and select decent players under the £15 million mark, however, he also lacks the high level experience and success. Hiddink would only ever be a short term option. He would be expected to get a European place and even 4th, possibly a trophy. His management style does not gel well with boardrooms and player ego's. That leaves Rijkaard, I can only see him come to Anfield if Ten Cate is drawn away from the money of Arabia. His success is evident, yet his last few moments at Barcelona were marred by loses and poor football.
     I think a change has to come, whether one of the above managers fills the void or a different, unconsidered name is chosen. Liverpool are not a team that should appear as if drowning, rudderless or out at sea. They are the team by the river, who play fluid football, who whet the appetite. We need someone to steady the ship and steer us onto the safest route back to the Champions League. Whoever that is, has a huge task ahead, but under the new owners, NESV, they seem to have a backing that was lacking from the previous owners.
     My wish is to see a bright and fresh faced manager being unveiled at Anfield on Monday 25th October 2010, who can fulfil Liverpool's vision of how football can be played. Sorry Roy, you're a lovely man but not a great manager.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

"As we all form one dark flame"

Its obvious that Liverpool are in freefall. It's obvious that world class players are underperforming. It's obvious that the manager........you get the message. But should we turn on them? Do we eat ourselves from the inside like a cancer? Why do fans call for one manager to go after seven games, we aren't Newcastle.  
     I think the answer from a small section of the fans is no, evident from the marches and the sit in protests, yet there are many fans who immediately turned on the players and the manager after the Blackpool loss. Twitter and Facebook were alive with the calls for sackings. Let's just pause here for a minute.
     Yes, Roy is not the manager we want, nor is he any good with a team down the bottom of the table, only escaping relegation with Fulham by results going his way. Yet, he is our manager. We need to help him give the players the best possible opportunity to get back in the table. He is the leader of this club and we must give him our support, we should get rid of this manager hate that has rubbed off on us from the media during the Benitez era. Roy, I admit, was not the best choice. But let's face it not many really good managers went for the job, not many managers who could 'walk through the storm'.
     The players deserve a lot of flak, this idea that they need an arm around their shoulders is preposterous. These players are paid professionals, they are doing a job, if I was asking for an arm around my shoulders at my job, I'm sure I would be told where to go. That said, they can only play in the system they have been forced into. Miereles on the right? Cole on the left? Jovanovic on the left? Poulsen?! I think Roy needs to look at his positioning. 
     So we have established that Roy is not the best manager for the job, but we would find a replacement very very difficult to come across. We have established the players are underperforming, yet not being given correct instructions. Let us turn to the board and the owners
     Hicks and Gillette, the double act that has virtually forced Liverpool to their knees. Gillette is willing to walk away, at a loss, from our club. Hicks, however, is busy scouring the globe for the money to refinance his £300 million debt on Liverpool. We cannot let this happen. The board are trying to keep Hicks and Gillette away, but have not found a sufficiently acceptable bid. The board and the owners have failed at every time, every turn and every decision. We must hold them to account! They cannot get away with this. With some more money maybe Hodgson would have found his striker, maybe Benitez would have gotten Barry. Maybe pivotal moments would have been reduced to trivial ones. 
     After the assessment, which I think every fan knows to be true, we are left with five people who we need to protest about! Purslow, Broughton, Ayre, Hicks and Gillette. 
     We need to invade Anfield! We need to fight in the stands! We need to scream war-cries of protest! Wear our black of mourning! Show the world we are having a slow death happening at our club! Get the Standards Corrupted shirt on and believe in better! Better football. Better management! Better owners!
    As we do this we need to be like an army. A mass of protestations! A seething body thinking like one! We need to form one dark flame! The black of our shirts and the black of our moods! The darkness of the times dictate our black actions!
   "As we all form one dark flame"!! 

Friday 17 September 2010

Hits Around The Midriff

Think we can safely say we won't be winning any significant silverware this season. The drive and passion that have always flowed through a Liverpool side is certainly prevalent, but the talent, the sheer, raw quality is absent. We have it. In abundance, yet we fail to capitalise on the chances we are giving ourselves.
This isn't a doom and gloom blogpost. It's optimistic by being realistic. We simply can't recreate that glorious 08/09 season without a season of rebuilding. That's what this season is all about. Getting Torres fit and firing again, not trashing him and his 'commitment'. The midfield is looking very tasty with Cole having another outstanding match in Europe last night. Mireles and Lucas seem to be settling down and Spearing was very close to being Man Of The Match for me. No, I don't think the problem is a lack of talent but a lack of how to use it or tease the best out of it.
With the off-field news taking a sinister twist with the news that Hicks is trying to garner more cash to oust Gilette. This is the last thing that Liverpool FC need as that would prolong the inevitable ownership issue that plagues us from season to season.
Fans who grow consistently irritated with below par performances are more likely to be the same fans who are less likely to be sympathetic to the rebuilding process. Ask yourself the basic question. Would you still support LFC if we were even worse? Why does this current Liverpool squad warrant such harsh criticism? It isn't the same squad as 08/09. We, as fans, are placing far too much responsibility on the shoulders of players who are either coming back from injury or are new.
As a fan I see us finishing 5th or 6th. Unless we hit a
good vein of form I just cannot see this squad doing any better. But I most certainly don't expect them to win against everyone.

Wednesday 1 September 2010

Dramatic Ending

Yesterday should have been a very busy day for Liverpool FC, yet it wasn't. If anything yesterday was quite quiet in respects to the rest of the transfer window. Signing Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Christian Poulsen, Raul Mireles and a couple of youngsters was much busier than the one signing of Paul Konchesky.
Most LFC fans are very disturbed by this recent transfer window. The muched touted arrival of a striker, failed to materialise, gladly for some. Many youngsters were sold for no apparent reason. There appeared to be no real motive for many of the moves.
However, I differ in that opinion. To reduce ourselves to sign a striker who is injured more times than Torres, is below LFC. Carlton Cole is not the luckiest striker. Similarly with Mario Gomez, we would have had a striker who has struggled in the Bundesliga and for his country. I see David Ngog as the future striker of LFC. If we get him lots of experience and toughen him up we should see a more fluid striker. Not many goals against Arsenal from Carlton Cole eh?
Some of our youngsters have gone too. I wrote a previous blog post about the exodus of Academy members. I think I was a little off the mark about it. The players we have transferred out are either not good enough or injury prone. Lauri Dalla Valle being the exception to both those rules, I cannot fathom why he has been sold. I can only assume that it is for reasons we will find out in due course. The other recruits, Krizstian Nemeth, injury prone, Mikel San Jose, asked for a transfer, Emiliano Insua, not quite good enough, Aquilani, not quite good enough yet! We have to see this as a positive, we have to see that the wage bill has been reduced, the club has made £10 million profit, the 'deadwood' has been cut out and the team has places and opportunities for the other gifted players.
What was once a lavish ceremoney for LFC has turned into a stripping down of assets and the trimming of the wick. What I would like to see from the board come January is a leaner squad but with a strong, experienced core so that the young players are used with blooding in mind.

Thursday 26 August 2010

'Anthem For Doomed Youth'

Liverpool FC's Academy is world famous. Producing young stars like Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and lately Daniel Pacheco and Emiliano Insua. The site in Kirkby has been the home to many young players since it was built in 1998, leaving Melwood as the reachable dream.
As the young are snapped up quick in modern football, they are promised much and encouraged to dream as richly as they can. The top of the game is theirs for the taking, the cup wins, the glory and the money. But have we let ourselves down at Liverpool FC?
Yes, it is still one of the premier clubs to train in as a young player, but do we have what it takes to offer them the dream they crave?
This summer has seen the club sell or try to sell several of it's young stars. Eniliano Insua very nearly made the switch to Serie A, talks broke down over personal terms with Fiorentina. Krisztián Németh, a very talented finisher, from Hungary, sold for purely financial reasons, Liverpool FC stated. Mikel San José Dominguez, sold to Athletic Bilboa, another talented youngster who wanted away. Daniel Pacheco, the star of the U-19 European Championships, finished top goal scorer, scoring in the final, has courted a transfer back to Spain. Chris Mavinga, the rising talent from PSG, has revealed dissatisfaction at not being picked despite winning the U-19 European Championships.
It seems that the youngsters are rebeling with the departure of Rafa Benitez, a man who must have promised them much only to be sacked. Is it only natural for these players to want to transfer away or do they hold bitterness towards a club who promised much but can only deliver a little.
With the sale of Nemeth to Olympiacos, we see a sale garnered purely for financial reasons, something not that familiar at Liverpool a few years ago.
What we have to be realisic about is that our youth are going to want to catch the glory and currently at Liverpool FC, we can't offer them that. I'm sure the years ahead will be much more fruitful, but I can't help wondering if the youth will be far gone by then.

Wednesday 25 August 2010

Hicks and the £230 million wallet.

It was revealed yesterday that the co-owner of Liverpool FC, Tom Hicks, has asked for a loan of £230 million. This loan is supposedly for his acquisition company, Hicks Acquisition II. The newspaper article suggested that Hicks has several investors lined up for some takeover or purchase.
As revealed earlier in the year by Business Week, Hicks has set up this second company buy no information is available for what exactly it will be used for. http://j.mp/dlftTs
The figures to have a similarity to the £230 million of loan that Hicks & Gillet owe RBS. does this mean that Hicks intends on paying off the loan and splitting the club into multiple owners? Or does he intend to buy out Gillet and pay off some of the loan due on October 6th? I suppose we will not be told until the money is used.
Rules and regulations state that an acquisition company can only be running for 11 months before being liquidated and the shares redeemed. So Hicks has many more months before he is pushed to a decision.
With the bid war seemingly spiralling into trash talk, can Liverpool FC afford to see any more financial tinkering under Hicks? Should we be pressuring the board to accept the one bid that has apparently passed Due Diligence? With Kenny Huang admitting that "not scrap of paper was submitted to Liverpool FC" for CIC's bid, can we trust a board who would not release any information to the fans?
This money that Hicks has set up is a large amount and can only be planned for either Liverpool FC or another venture. If it is used for Liverpool FC then I fear for the financial security as any more money given to a man who has claimed bankruptcy is wild money.
As events off the pitch reach a low similar to that of last season, fans are left wondering if anyone will want to sort out the mess that Liverpool FC is now in. Strapped for cash and finding form difficult, we face an uncertain future, made more uncertain by the loan of £230 million to Tom Hicks. A man who has ran a once streamlined club into the ground and has bankrupted a sporting giant in the States.
We can only hold out hope and continue to fight.

Tuesday 24 August 2010

Manchester City FC v Liverpool FC 23/08/2010

   Last night was a night of football that I have rarely seen from Liverpool FC. We were hampered on the ball, lacklustre in defence, visionless in midfield and closed down too easy up front. With the flow of the game always in Manchester City FC's favour, we never looked like we got out of second gear.
   We can't escape the news that emerged from Melwood, Mascherano would not only like to leave, he would like to be seated in the stands, unplayable due to a reason we know nothing about. We can only assume that he is aggrieved we haven't tried to sell him as much as he would like. Mascherano has a long history of discontent if nothing is going his way. The paltry offer from Barcelona, £13 million plus Hleb, is deemed by all of Liverpool to be a bit of an insult. This is a player who is captain of his country and one of the finest midfielders of his generation. Did this affect the player's ability to perform on the pitch? We will never know but it must have had some impact.
   The game itself was full of frustration. Easily dominated in the midfield due to the powerful influence of Yaya Toure and the decent positioning of Barry, it was always going to be too much for Gerrard to comfortably leave Lucas alone. Micah Richards was a powerhouse and frequently bullied Torres off the ball, Ngog did not fare much better against an improved Kompany and Lescott. The wings constantly cut inside and made the play far too narrow which suited the five-man City midfield. Jovanovic did little but run around and created no link up play between Agger and Torres, for me the Jury is still out on him as I have seen little of the former Belgian player of the year to warrant the hype.
   Manchester City's fluid lines and simple triangles put pressure on the rigidity of the straight 4-4-2 that Hodgson implemented. Before the match I was expectant of a creative partnership between Ngog and Torres. The reality was a lack of understanding between the two forwards, there was no spark nor one pass to get inspired by. Tevez on the other hand was much improved, providing the essential link between the midfield and the final third. He constantly dropped deep and built an attack by passing the ball into a heavy midfield then creating space behind Liverpool's defence. Toure provided the neccessary passing excellence when Tevez surged forward, frequently finding Milner or Adam Johnson who gave both our full backs a torrid night.
   Glen Johnson provided much of the nights frustrations as he seemed to hesitate on the ball for too long, was caught in possession and failed to track Milner or Adam Johnson when they switched. He looked uninspired and nervous passing it forward. To be fair to him the person who should have been immediately infront of him was Kuyt, who ran much of the game from the middle of the park, ending up behind Johnson.
   The only decent chances Liverpool had, shots by Gerrard out side the box, and a shot by Torres were either blocked by defenders or saved dramatically well by Hart. That was Liverpool's best spell and it included Gerrard getting into a decent space and servicing the players in the box, when we lost the ball though, we looked very fragile as we missed the reading of the game of a Mascherano style figure and were subject to a swift counter attack.
   3-0 doesn't flatter Manchester City. The first goal, a Milner pull back for a Barry finesse finish, was simply poor positioning by Kuyt and Skrtel. The Micah Richards/Tevez header/faint touch was down to, dare I say it, poor goalkeeping by Reina! He looked like he was sucked into the arrival of Tevez. A penalty, finished off the scoring, in my opinion, the penalty was very soft to concede. Adam Johnson looked very unsteady on his feet and really, should have been left to it by Skrtel as he was unlikely to get a decent cross in.
   The 4-4-2 that Hodgson tried, failed so utterly that I would be very surprised to ever see it erected again with the current squad. If Mascherano had played then Gerrard may have been more confortable surging forward, knowing that a decent general had anchored himself in the midfield. That loss of a clear link between midfield and attack led to both Torres and Ngog either coming deeper or being serviced by Jovanovic or Kuyt, who looked skittish and unprepared. Hodgson will no doubt resort to the much favourable 4-5-1 without Joe Cole or the 4-2-3-1 with him.
   Well done Roy for experimenting and proving all those critics of Liverpool FC's formation wrong. Sky Sports and Newspaper pundits will no doubt be very silent on the idea of a strike partner for Torres now. He is best when supplied from the midfield by a roaming Gerrard style figure.
   I know I have painted Manchester City in a very favourable light and, truth is, they were very good, especially on the wings, but Liverpool were so poor by their own standards that any team would have looked good. We need to solve the formation curiosity, buy a left back and sell Mascherano for a decent price.