Liverpool 1 - Chelsea 1 - Some thoughts...

This was exactly what we wanted to see. After possibly the worst week under Klopp where the dreams of a sustaining a title challenge were dashed, and we exited both domestic cup competitions we just wanted to see some fight, a better performance and a bit of guile.

If we'd ended the last week having beaten Swansea, reached Wembley and made it through to the next round of the FA Cup then this point would look incredible.

There was the usual ridiculous overreaction and short term idiocy associated with modern media and football supporters in the last week. We need to remember just how far we have come in a relatively short space of time. 6 out of the last 7 seasons I think we have finished below Spurs and outside of the top 4. The fact that Klopp still had us dreaming about a title past Christmas is testament to the work he has done - all having made a profit on players!

We also need to remember just how good the other sides around us are this year. Arsenal, Spurs and ourselves have got their highest points totals at this time of the season for years and years. Chelsea are just a different level, it's virtually impossible to get near them. And tonight they showed that. Without being brilliant they were easily the best side to come to Anfield this season, defensively solid, gnarly and difficult to play against, a constant threat.

But we were equal to it - we weren't brilliant either but we FOUGHT. The toothless feel up front that has been a signature of 2017 still lingers, but we found an equalising goal from somewhere and a great goal it was too. Firminho should have scored, undoubtedly, but players miss sitters, it happens.

What can you say about Chelsea's first goal? It was a world class free kick but a premier league goal keeper should not take his eye off a dead ball like that. I don't care whether he heard the whistle or not. Mignolet has been brilliant since he came back but it is because of those big errors that he just can't be our long term first choice keeper.

Of course he made up for it with a wonderful penalty save and that should be celebrated, regardless of the mistake for the first goal he rescued a point for us (and him) in the end. When a keeper makes a mistake like that, best you can ask for is that they redeem themselves.

There will be a slight feeling of "what if..." about the game. Could we have got the 3 points? Especially with Arsenal losing and Spurs drawing but this is a great point, that's all there is to it. We are still well in the fight for Top 4 and that was THE target for this season.

The crowd turned up tonight and the team  turned up as well, that is all we can ask for.

I'll leave you with words from the boss himself and the "exchange" he had with a "supporter" behind the dugout...

Klopp explained: “One back pass pass. We had it in the last game already. If we don't play possession football tonight then it's ping pong.

We played high pressure so Chelsea does it smart, played a few long balls. If we do the same we all have a stiff neck after the game.

“That means we played football and sometimes you play a back pass. I then hear in this moment 'nahh, nahhh, nahhh'. In the last game we actually turned the wrong moment and played a pass in this direction. So I say keep your nerves please."

Yes. Keep your nerves please. I Klopp we trust.

Liverpool 2 - Swansea 3 - Some reflections

We deserved this. We all deserved this. Klopp asked for an atmosphere, he had delivered a rallying cry. We didn't deliver and in turn they didn't deliver. Early kick offs can be sluggish to get started at the best of times, but the Anfield crowd sat back from 12:30pm and expected to see us roll over bottom of the league Swansea. We should know by now that football doesn't work like that. The Liverpool players responded in kind, Lovren and Klavan exchanging about 7 passes in a row within the first 60 seconds. This was the sort of game (and Swansea the sort of side) crying out for a fast start, surprise them, get amongst them, worry them. Instead we sat back, knocked the ball about and probed gently. I’m all for patient build up but there was no cutting edge, no urgency, no surges, no changes of pace.

Even Klopp seemed content to let the half pass him by, sitting back slumped in his “bucket seat” and if I’m not mistaken not raising himself to offer instruction or cajole from the technical area once. With such slumber on the pitch and the bench, you could hardly expect there to be much noise from the stands.

Who am I to doubt Klopp? He knows more about football than I do about hangovers, but I couldn't help think he got it wrong with the line up. Against a team which we knew would sit back and without Mane we needed as much pace and attacking intent as we could get and for me playing Lallana in the front three and then Henderson, Can and Wijnaldum in midfield just seemed too defensive and a waste. Lallana is capable enough in the front three, but he has been a revelation in midfield and by putting another out and out forward up there in his place, like Sturridge, I think we'd have had more threat and more guile and therefore a better chance of unlocking the Swansea door. Henderson, Can and Wijnaldum seemed to just get in each other's way most of the time, perhaps there is a need for two out of the three, but surely not all three? With Swansea offering so little in attack, the centre backs dealt with long balls easily enough, would collect the ball, knock it 5 yards to Can, who would then mostly look up, knock it another 5 yards to Henderson who would spray it wide to Clyne or Milner. It seemed completely pointless. And the graphic from the BBC below showing average player position would seem to collaborate that, with Can, Henderson and Winjnaldum all overlapping. 

Our best chance of the half did indeed fall to Can, with Henderson swinging a beautiful ball in and Can arriving perfectly onto it only to head it wide. That was on ten minutes, and you hoped that it might spring us all into life, but we fell back into the pattern of patient probing and the half ended with only half chances to speak of. Swansea were well organised, as expected, but you hoped some words from Klopp at half time would energise us and surely this would be one of those games which would eventually end with us getting on top and netting one or two. 

There were no changes at half time, which disappointed me a little, but I can understand when a manager wants to give the 11 he has sent out another ten minutes to carry out his half time instruction. However it wasn't any half time words from Klopp that woke us up but 5 minutes of madness which ended with Swansea 2 nil up. Their first goal was scrappy and the 2nd sloppy as Llorente rose well to head home, but you felt that he shouldn't have been allowed that opportunity. 

Only then did it look like we gave a shit and on came Sturridge - finally. Although he had been getting readied by Klopp before the 2nd Swansea goal went in, now he was needed more than ever. It was in fact Firminho who got us back in it with two brilliant goals and then with 20 minutes to go you felt it was going to end one way. But we still struggled to break down the wall of white and lacked imagination. Sturridge gets some stick when he comes on for "not doing much" and not moving enough, but he makes decent enough runs and he always shows for the ball, but he just wasn't getting played any decent passes. This is another reason I'd have liked to have seen Lallana in midfield with Henderson, both of whom have the ability to unlock a defence with a clever ball. Our default move appeared to be the ball out wide and then put a cross in. It's a move that has it's place, but can be easy enough to defend against and we needed much more variation in our attacking play.

Then of course came the hammer blow, Tom Caroll simply ran and ran through midfield and at our defence and we couldn't seem to deal with it. Fraser for Bournemouth anyone? He beat Lovren easily before Klavan desperately stuck a foot in only for it to break to Sigurdsson who reacted first and slotted the ball home. 

This was a disastrous result, there is no other way of describing it. After a relatively poor run since the turn of the year our title hopes were already fading and this could well be a nail in their coffin. I'm writing this having seen Arsenal win with a late late penalty against Burnley and Chelsea have just gone one nil up against Hull. Spurs and City sharing a point was the best we could hope for and now it looks like we face a fight to secure top 4. Yes we have to play Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea all at Anfield and we still have City away as well, which could be seen as positive as there is a lot to play for still, but equally if we don't get good results in those big games, goodness knows where we might find ourselves. 

But I am going to remain positive. We have Matip back to sure up our defence and Firminho will hopefully have found some form having scored that brace. We are still in both cup competitions and as I've just referenced at least a lot still lies in our own hands when it comes to the league. You cannot imagine that Klopp will let this result lie and I can see us reacting well, firstly against Southampton in the league cup semi final and then in the crucial game against Chelsea.

It might feel hugely disappointing to have virtually thrown away our title chances with such a poor display, but we should keep a sense of perspective. After the last few years of no silverware and disappointing league finishes, to be back in the top 4 and the Champion's League next season would be real progress. 

Time to believe...

It was 1.45pm on Sunday the 6th of November and Arsenal and Spurs had just played put a 1-1 draw, 2 points dropped for both sides whichever way they looked at it. Not only that but Man City had dropped points the day before. Of the leading pack only Chelsea had gained ground with a comprehensive 5 nil win over Everton.

Liverpool were playing Watford at Anfield in a 2.15pm kick off. Win and we went top.

"This is exactly the sort of game we'll lose" I said to myself. The old cliché. I even messaged my mates What's App group saying "Win and go top. Cue a 1 nil defeat."

Despite having seen Jurgen Klopp's rejuvenated Liverpool side tearing teams apart all season, scoring goals for fun, beating Arsenal and Chelsea in their own back yards, I still couldn't believe. For the older generation who actually saw us win leagues my attitude might seem incredibly defeatist but despite having witnesses Istanbul and a cup treble, a few FA Cups, pessimism is still ingrained in me. 

I have also witnessed us throw away a 3 nil lead at Palace, Gerrard slip right in front of me as I stood on the Kop. I've lived through years of Man Utd dominance. I've never witnessed us win the league. My brain just isn't trained to expect Liverpool to succeed, not in the league.

Well now it's time for me to believe, for us all to believe. We didn't just beat Watford to go top, we annihilated them. Strangely enough they actually had their moments, more so than Hull earlier in the season. But even so, it could have been 8 or 9.

We even had a so called "make shift" centre back in the form of Lucas Leiva coming in for the ill Lovren against a physical Watford side and Troy Deeney who supposedly loved bullying Martin Skrtel so much. Barely got a sniff did he?

Going forward we were sensational and I mean actually sensational. A word that is over used. Our new slightly nervy looking keeper looks to be growing into it and Henderson is becoming the top class midfielder and captain that a lot of us have always known her could be.

At 5 nil Klopp was still furious, demanding more. He is relentless, just like his team. There is still so much to improve on still and that is what makes it so exciting. You get the feeling that we haven't reached our best yet. 

Klopp eats, sleeps and breathes winning. And now so do his team. And that is why we have to believe. Get on board... there will undoubtedly be pain and heartbreak again but my God it's going to be fun. Rock & Roll football? It's going to be one hell of a tour. Buy your ticket now.

Why Liverpool fans must fight for justice for Orgreave

Liverpool fans know all about injustice. For years we have had to fight the smears, stereotypes and vicious lies around Hillsborough and the death of 96 fans. Listened to by very few, and completely ignored by the authorities and the establishment, it is only recently that finally the truth has been properly exposed.

Just this week those involved in another injustice and have had a blow dealt to their own quest for truth and one that is intrinsically linked to Hillsborough - Orgreave. For those who don't know "the battle of Orgreave" as it was known was when tensions reached their highest during the miners strike of the 1984. And Thatcher's methods of "dealing with" the campaigning miners reached its most brutal and underhand. Robert East, writing in the Journal of Law and Society in 1985, suggested that rather than maintaining order and upholding the law, "the police intended that Orgreave would be a 'battle' where, as a result of their preparation and organisation, they would 'defeat' the pickets."[16] Michael Mansfield QC said: "They wanted to teach the miners a lesson – a big lesson, such that they wouldn't come out in force again."

On the day Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Clement ordered a mounted charge against the picketing miners. It was seen as "a serious overreaction" and the miners responded by throwing stones and other missiles at the police lines.[6] Clement ordered 2 further mounted advances, and the third advance was supported by "short shield" snatch squads who followed the mounted police, "delivering baton beatings to the unarmed miners."[6][18]

There were no fatalities but the brutality and lack of restraint shown by the police that day is widely acknowledged. It would be wrong to compare Orgreave directly with the Hillsborough disaster and no campaigners on either side have ever tried to do so but what links them is that the police force responsible that day; South Yorkshire Police.  The force that 5 years later were responsible for the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans and that then went on the smear the 96 families and actively  cover up their inadequacies and incompetence. 

The injustices of both Hillsborough and Orgreave also share the fact that they are underlined by an attack and disdain towards the working class by Thatcher's right wing government and the elite.

The miners and campaigners for Orgreave have always stood side by side with Liverpool fans and the Hillsborough families, especially when so few others would.

I know my own friend and United Union activist and campaigner for Orgreave marched with miners, Hillsborough families and fellow supporters in Liverpool as the campaign for justice reached it's height in 2015 and many others have done the same.

Yet this week the current Tory government has ruled that there will be no fresh enquiry into the actions of South Yorkshire Police that day. They have cited the reason that "it was too long ago for any lessons to be learned." Yet Lessons can be learnt from Hillsborough which occurred just 5 years later? It is an utter disgrace and a blatant shirking of the truth. I suspect that they know further enquiries into the motives and actions of that Thatcher government and the South Yorkshire police will be so unsavoury they can't possibly risk them being exposed.

Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis has said: "Given the substantial concerns that exist, it is astonishing that the Home Secretary will not commit to an inquiry or review." And the current South Yorkshire Police Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings said he was "shocked and dismayed" by the decision.

He added: "The government have marched the Campaign for Truth and Justice to the top of the hill only to march them down again.

"No one has ever suggested that the events of Orgreave were comparable in every respect to the disaster at Hillsborough. But the former miners and the former mining communities in South Yorkshire deserve an explanation as to what happened on that day and where Orgreave fits in the wider story of the miners' strike."

Considering the parallels of injustice and the level to which the same authorities and government were involved in both Hillsborough and Orgreave it is vital that Liverpool fans now show their solidarity and support for the Orgreave campaigners. They were there for us and we should be there for them. This is an issue with transcends football and regions and becomes an issue for those who believe in justice, equality and accountability.

To support the fight for justice visit follow The Orgreave Justice campaign on Twitter and Facebook.

Basel Diary - A Week On

The story of me as a Liverpool fan is a strange one. We'll, not that strange, in fact it's probably fairly common. Born in Bath and brought up in a nondescript town in rural Wiltshire I had absolutely no connection with Liverpool whatsoever. My early exposure to football was through my Dad, watching World Cup 94 on telly, the playground at school and the likes of Match magazine. My Dad couldn't have been further from a pushy Dad if he tried, he always had a laissez faire attitude to what I should be interested in or good at, but I was aware that his affinity to Bristol Rovers and to some extent Southampton having worked there. But through magazines and TV I had begun to feel affinity to a team in red… I don't know what it was but I remember being fascinated by John Barnes and also a skinny curly haired player, a bit like me, Steve McManaman. My Dad must have noticed that I had become attracted to Liverpool because I distinctly remember asking him who I should support, almost begging him to say Bristol Rovers, knowing that was “the done thing.” But he just said “support who you like.” So I did. I became obsessed. I collected cuttings and Liverpool magazines, I collected those weird big headed player models, I read up on Liverpool as much as I could. I’ll never forget how gutted I was when we lost to Utd in the 96 cup final.

Exeter Away - 2016

This account first appeared in Red All Over The Land fanzine issue 220.

I don’t care what anyone says about the FA Cup having lost its magic, when the 3rd round draw comes around I still get a bit of a buzz. Who are Liverpool going to get? A tough Premier League or Championship meeting or a minnow? Home or Away? When we were drawn away at Exeter the fixture pricked my interest for a few reasons. Firstly I have family in that part of the world so it felt somehow familiar and it also got me wondering about actually being able to get to the game. Living back down in Wiltshire now unlike for the majority of Liverpool fans it didn’t feel like a particularly lengthy trip. I immediately text my mate Joff, a fellow south west resident and old regular match going mate, both home and away. Our last away had been around two years ago, a glorious trip to Southampton to see Suarez in his peak and when we started to believe that the title really was a possibility. Joff was keen, obviously.

Accepting The Inevitable - RAOTL Issue 217

This article first appeared in Issue 217 of Red All Over The Land

I am writing this during one of the turgid international “breaks” that we have become accustomed to. England were outclassed in a friendly by Spain. No one was surprised. No one on the red side of Liverpool cared.

Patience is a virtue

These are strange times. I'm writing this the morning after a disappointing 1 - 1 draw at Anfield against a 10 man Rubin Kazan. 

The unparalleled hype around Klopp's arrival still hasn't died down. No one would have wanted his first game in charge at Anfield to end like last night did but despite the result, hope, support and togetherness still oozed from every emergency exit at Anfield last night. The final whistle was met with huge applause after what on the whole had been a decent atmosphere - especially considering what we have become accustomed to.

RAOTL Column - Klopp Mania

This article was written for Issue 216 of Red All Over The Land fanzine...

When I sat down to write my column for the issue of Red All Over The Land that you have in your hands there was only one possible subject on which I could out pen to paper, that was of course Jürgen Klopp. In the world of Liverpool Football Club there simply has not been any other news except that of the charismatic German who was appointed Liverpool manager in a whirlwind of excitement and press attention. He is the man 95% of Liverpool fans have wanted for some time – and it was impossible not to get caught up in the excitement. It felt like a fairy tale coming true. 

I am assuming that by the time this issue has hit the streets Klopp will have undertaken his first game as Liverpool manager, away at Tottenham, and perhaps even his first Anfield appearance with a Europa League tie against Rubin Kazan. You can’t imagine that we won’t see a reaction from the squad in those first few games, and hopefully two wins, but nothing is ever straightforward in football and for all his charisma, managerial quality and track record there are no guarantees. 

Except perhaps one that whatever happens in his tenure, it is going to be one hell of a journey. 

Thousands upon thousands of words have been written and spoken about Klopp’s arrival at our “special club” and I don’t feel there is a huge amount I can add in my lowly little fanzine column that hasn’t already been said. 

So I thought I’d embrace the excitement and mystery around the Klopp legend and think about the 15 things I’d like to see from him over the next 12 months, some football related, some very much not…

1. Be spotted on the K1 in the Krazyhouse thrashing around to Slipknot with an Orange VK in each hand. 

2. Claim to not know who or what Everton is. 

3. Run down the touchline towards the Kop after a late winner. 

4. Visit the HJC shop. 

5. Lead a rendition of Gary Macca in The Albert before The Derby. 

6. Lead a rendition of Gary Macca in The Park, after The Derby. 

7. Be spotted in The Lobster pot at 2am. 

8. Be seen picking Jordan Rossiter up from school with the rest of the mums and dads. 

9. Have Jager poured into his mouth whilst dancing to The Ramones at the bar in MOJO.

10. Be spotted watching a spot of cricket at Aigburth with Didi Hamann. 

11. Drinking Pilsner out of The FA Cup after we’ve beaten Chelsea in the final. 

12. Be pictured on top of Robbie Fowler’s shoulders at Ayre’s house at 4am. 

13. Be seen buying a new gilet in Giancarlo Ricci on Bold Street. 

14. Be spotted having a stein and a chilli dog in Salt Dog Slims. 

15. Giving a Champion’s League press conference. 

Guest Post: How a back three can save Brendan Rodgers' job

Since Brendan Rodgers became Liverpool manager we've only looked consistently solid defensively while playing a back three. In between the 2014/15 season-changing games against Manchester United, we conceded only 15 goals in 23 games in all competitions. The only other times we have looked solid defensively for more two games in succession came in the three consecutive 1-0 wins at the start of both this season and 2013/14. Both of these spells, however, were characterised by defending deep and in numbers, and making the clean sheet a priority. Balance was lacking. Our attacking play suffered. The manager's return to playing three at the back in the last two games gives me reason to believe he's not finished yet. He can still turn this around. Here's why.

Martin Skrtel

The big Slovakian has been the mainstay of every Liverpool defence under Brendan Rodgers, seldom finding himself out of the team for any great length of time. Skrtel has a very specific skill set. He is very good at certain aspects of defending, and absolutely abject at others. Those of you with decent memories will remember Rafa Benitez' ill-fated experiment with playing Skrtel as a right back against Sunderland a few years back. He was terrible. It's fair to say he is terrible whenever he finds himself being pulled into a fullback position from centre back too. Take him out of the centre and his positional sense abandons him, along with his confidence. His response when an opposition attacker is able to isolate him and dribble at him with pace is to back off so quickly and to such an extent that he drags the whole team deeper, and puts needless pressure on his goalkeeper. Brendan Rodgers' commitment to having both his fullbacks joining in with attacks has often left Skrtel in this position on the counter attack. This discomfort at 1v1 defending has always made Skrtel seem very unsuited to being a Brendan Rodgers centre back. For this reason I was surprised and disappointed when he was given a new contract in the summer.

However, during the three at the back spell last season, he was immense. Having a centre back either side of him meant he never got isolated 1v1. He was able to stay central except for sweeping up balls played in behind the other centre backs. Having two holding midfielders in front of him meant he rarely had to defend on the front foot. His propensity to back off became a strength rather than a liability when he was deployed as a sweeper. Furthermore, there was little onus on him to start attacks with incisive vertical passes: he was able to leave that to the more capable Can and Sakho.

Rodgers' ideal formation is clearly 4-3-3. His first blueprint for this season was to play this formation, and to mitigate Skrtel's (and Lovren's, who is also more comfortable in a low-lying, compact block) weaknesses by restricting his fullbacks' and central midfielders' attacking movements. This was more from the Mourinho or Pulis school of defending: ensuring the centre backs are rarely left isolated because if one full back gets forward the other stays back, and holding midfielders are constantly ensuring the centre backs don't have to step out of their defensive line. Unfortunately, this predictably detracted from the attacking side of our game. The three 1-0 wins at the start of the season were dull, lifeless affairs (a great 20 minutes at Arsenal aside) in which we rarely got enough players ahead of the ball or into the opposition penalty area.

The return to a back three for the Norwich game hopefully hints towards the manager acknowledging that he cannot maintain a good balance between attack and defence with Skrtel in a back four. If he is determined to play a back four in the long term then Skrtel cannot be part of it. A Gomez-Sakho partnership may well be the future of a Liverpool 4-3-3, but for now there are question marks about the youngster's readiness for such a prominent role. For now, keeping Skrtel in the team but playing to his strengths in a back three seems sensible.



Daniel Sturridge

I have found it quite bizarre just how many Liverpool fans seem to have written off the possibility of Sturridge playing a key role this season. Yes, he has had a year of injury problems, but the noises coming out of the club suggest that they are confident that his operation at the end of last season fixed the underlying problem. He is our best player when fully fit, bar none. We would have finished in the top four last season had it not been for his injury problems, and Rodgers would not be under nearly as much pressure now.

When Sturridge did play last season, it was as a lone striker (Tottenham away aside). He can certainly do a good job in this role, but I feel he is better with a partner. He does some excellent work dropping into the number 10 position, and drifting wide to isolate defenders. I believe it takes something away from his game to ask him to spend more time in the penalty area. The travails of Balotelli, Borini and Lambert meant there were no good options to partner him last season. That has now been rectified, and Benteke, Ings and Firmino could all prove brilliant foils for the prolific Brummie. Of course this has tactical implications too: Rodgers' preferred 4-3-3 is most likely to see Sturridge playing off a main striker in a wider position. The switch to a back three allows us to get our best player in his best position, playing to his strengths.

Alberto Moreno

One of the strangest decisions the club made in the transfer market, given Rodgers' aforementioned blueprint for the season, was not investing in a more defensively sound left back. Moreno is great going forward, has infectious energy and enthusiasm, but has looked a liability at the back. He is precisely the kind of full back that Skrtel and Lovren must have nightmares about: he ensures that the centre backs will be pulled out of position. The decision to start the season with Gomez at left back was certainly designed to help the centre backs, but may have had the added benefit of giving young Alberto a kick up the backside. He looked incredibly motivated against Norwich, and created more chances than anybody. He is a natural wing-back, and will no doubt be praying for the retention of the 3-5-2. If the manager reverts to a back four, he will have to choose between Moreno's defensive deficiencies, and Gomez's inability to go forward on the outside. Neither is the kind of option you expect a top-four club to have. Moreno as a wing back, if the Norwich performance is anything to go by, can be just that.

Emre Can

Surely no-one can doubt Can's potential. In a few years he will be a genuinely world-class player. Brendan Rodgers took a lot of stick last season for refusing to play Can in a central midfield role, but his performances there this season surely explain the thinking behind this. He has looked constantly positionally unsure both with and without the ball, not knowing when to press and when to hold his position, or when to make a forward run or when to drop off for a short pass to feet. Last season, like Skrtel, he was brilliant in the back three, before being exposed when deployed as a right back in a back four. His ability to carry the ball out of defence gives us an extra dimension, and he seems much more comfortable when he can see the whole game ahead of him. I remain of the opinion that this could be a long-term position for him, replicating the sort of job David Alaba does for Bayern Munich. Like Alaba, of course he has the tools to play in central midfield too. But for now let's continue to play him in the one role he has truly excelled in.

Conclusion

Last season was going completely tits-up before the switch to a back three. We suddenly started playing the high-tempo football that had characterised 2013/14, but with more defensive solidity. For 15 games, we were outstanding. Not just Brendan Rodgers post-match interview outstanding, but actually outstanding. The reversion to a back four after the defeat to United was baffling and took us backwards. While the recruitment of Nathaniel Clyne made a back four slightly more sensible this season, it still seemed the only way we could keep a clean sheet in this formation was by throwing numbers at the problem. Let's face it, a team in any formation has a good chance of a clean sheet if they sacrifice attacking intent and keep ten men behind the ball.

Clearly the change in formation will not solve all of our problems overnight. James Milner's form, Phillipe Coutinho's consistency, and Simon Mignolet's command of his area, for example, are equally issues which could define our season. But playing three at the back is the way to restore defensive solidity without sacrificing our attacking intent, and this could breed the confidence which solves other problems too. It's disappointing that it has taken this long for Rodgers to bring back the system which saved our season last year. If it can bring the best out of Skrtel, Sturridge, Moreno and Can, it may just save his job too.'

By @KieranGarrard

Brendan Rodgers and my inner turmoil

You hear the phrases "his head's gone" or "he's mentally scrambled" a lot in sport and when it comes to Liverpool and specifically Brendan Rodgers... my head's gone. I don't know what to think.

In truth I've probably been suffering an inner turmoil when it comes to the manager since we started last season so poorly and somehow ended up having to play Rickie Lambert or Balotelli upfront on their own.

Since then I've had a near daily mental struggle with myself over whether I have faith in Rodgers... whether I genuinely think we are going to improve... whether or not the players we've bought are actually any good. It's tiring. I wish I could just relax and enjoy it. 

But let's face it, so far this season it's not been enjoyable. Supporting Liverpool seems to have become engulfed in tension, negativity and worry. A constant, painful yearning to be successful again, a bitter jealousy at seeing the likes of Man City gracing the biggest stages in Europe and an ongoing sadness about not being able to compete with Chelsea. A horrible fear that Man Utd will pull away from us again.

The start to this season was unspectacular but there was some hope. We were grinding out results... "players would take time to gel" was a sensible observation. Only two defeats later and that hope appears to have completely evaporated. Is that just the idiotically knee jerk nature of modern football? Should we be patient? In a few games time when we've won 5 on the bounce it'll all be smiles again? Or are the underlying concerns about Rodgers and our future founded?

It's not just morons on twitter who want Rodgers gone... genuinely passionate and intelligent supporters are starting to lose faith. I still don't know if I'm one of them. I'm worried I might be.

I think my desire to back Rodgers, be patient and give things time to develop comes more from my nature as a fan. I love Liverpool FC and I've always found it difficult to criticise any manager or player who is doing their best for the club (apart from Hodgson obviously.) I never wanted Houllier gone, I certainly didn't want Rafa out and I think I genuinely want Rodgers to succeed, but only because I want Liverpool to succeed...  not because I have any particular loyalty to Rodgers.

If you offered me Klopp tomorrow I'd probably bite your hand off and I suppose that says it all.

There is no guarantee Klopp would do any better, but it's hard to resist his allure, he feels like he'd fit.

Rodgers is starting to feel like an unwelcome guest at an already crap party. 

But I'm the sort of guy who still talks to them, out of pity. I don't want to have to pity the manager of Liverpool FC.

While Rodgers is manager I will get behind him and more importantly the team. But oh please, please for the love of God let's win a few games and score a few goals. Then everything will feel better. 

I can't take much more of this.

Liverpool 0 West Ham 3 - Reaction

Having let the dust settle on yesterday's result and my first trip to Anfield this season, I was going to sit down and reflect on the game having given it 24 hours.

Then I heard that Dejan Lovren has received death threats and I thought... fuck this. It's only football. You gang of cunts.

The anthropology of the modern football fan is hugely depressing and increasingly so of my beloved Liverpool Football Club.

I even saw someone suggest that him closing his Instagram account due to the threats simply underlined his lack of steel. Christ.

So I'm going to close the laptop and go and do something else. In a bit.

Why we should be positive about the Europa League

Today saw the draw for the group stages of the UEFA Europa League and Liverpool draw which consisted of Rubin Kazan of Russia, Bordeaux of France and FC Sion of Switzerland was met with a mixed reaction amongst our support.

From a footballing point of view I think most would agree that the draw was kind. There are some big sides in the competition this year including Ajax, Dortmund, Villarreal and Monaco to name a few and you would like to think that on the pitch alone we should be able to navigate comfortably though our group. However we do face many miles of travel, including a lengthy away trip to Russia as well as the prospect of several Sunday 4 o'clock starts something which defying any reason seems to affect sides. Almost since its conception the prospect of competition in the Europa League has met with nothing short of contempt from the support of many English sides, including Liverpool fans.

There is a collective agreement that the number of games a side has to play in the competition, coupled with some of the travelling incurred can take a real toll on the squad and seriously effect the team's performance in the domestic league or cup competitions. There are many Liverpool fans that would share that view and see the Europa as nothing but a distraction and something we should treat as such by fielding a youth side.

However, I'd beg to differ. Sat watching the draw today I couldn't help feel excited. European football, of any level, is what Liverpool Football Club is all about. And as a supporter, especially one of who has yet to get to a proper european away game there is something exhilirating about watching the draw as exoctic and unknown names appear next to some of Europe's finest and forgotten. Some of the best nights of my life have been at European nights at Anfield and that includes UEFA Cup games as much as our famous Champion's League run. Being there when Houllier returned to the dugout against Roma; seeing Gerrard dispatch Napoli after their Ultras caused a lot of needle around the city; watching us nearly claw back a heavy aggregate deficit against Zenit amongst one of the best atmospheres there has been in recent years; as well as watching some of the more obscure European sides come to Anfield including Olimpija Ljubljana, Gomel and Anji.

But it's not just my romanticism as a supporter that I think gives us reason to be positive about the Europa League, there are football reasons too. For a start we are Liverpool Football Club and we should look to start every competition with the aim of winning it. I don't want to live in a world where finishing 4th is considered winning something; we want silverware, it's what we live for as a club. Add to that the fact that Rodgers is yet to win any and you would think he would like to take it seriously. Finally there is the added benefit of the winners qualifying for the Champion's League of course.

Now I understand the argument that we don't want to compromise our league campaign and that challenging for the title and subsequently champion's league qualification is our absolute priority but as a manager of the club the size of Liverpool Rodgers and his team will have to get used to managing a squad that can compete on multiple fronts in a variety of competitions.

Something else which I think is worth remembering as well is that Rodgers and his staff are still extremely inexperienced in Europe. We saw that from our Champion's League campaign last year. If we are going to get back into the big time next year then Rodgers could do with gaining some vital experience during the Europa campaign this year. There are some big sides in the competition that he can pit his wits against - even if he does it with a so called "B Team."

So we'll see, but I for one hope that we approach the Europa League looking to win it - if that means rotation, so be it, it's a modern skill that needs to be mastered by the manager.  The age old cliche is true, winning breeds winning.

The Lucas Leiva Situation

Only one game into Liverpool's season it is very difficult and far too early to read into a lot of things. I got a little tired of just how much our win at Stoke was analysed and poured over by both the professional press, unofficial bloggers, podcasts and on social media. I could understand it though, we've all been so desperate for the season to start, we're all so full of hope, we want to know that the signs are good. For me it was difficult to gauge much from our hard fought win at Stoke, other than we are naturally still a work in progress (hard not to be in the first game of the season) and that Coutinho is going to be absolutely vital for us again. 

However, something which we could see from the opening day with some certainty are which players are in favour and which aren't. We all knew Borini, Enrique and Balotelli were out in the cold, but the omission of the likes of Sakho, Markovic and Lucas from the match day 18 was very telling. 

Yes it is a long and busy season, particularly for us with the Europa League to contend with and a large squad is essential for any top side. But this opening game was as important as it gets and you would have to assume that Rodgers started the season with a match day squad made up of those he rated the highest and trusted the most. 

We have rejected a loan for Sakho which suggests that we are looking to keep him, and rightly so considering we aren't flooded with quality centre backs. You would like to think that Sakho will still play a big part in our season. Markovic is still very young and Rodgers has openly said that he will definitely be needed (perhaps largely  in Europe). It is the omission of Lucas which both concerns me and intrigues me the most. 

I've lost count of the number of times Lucas has had to prove himself at Liverpool, and each time he has done it emphatically, but to be left out again feels like one time too many for the Brazilian enforcer to come back from the brink. Carragher has spoken out to say that he expects him to leave - he knows him well, and confirms what we all assumed; Lucas is a top professional, a good man and a guy who wants to play football. He feels he is more than good enough to be starting for Liverpool, and if he isn't, he will have to look elsewhere for regular football. 

I don't think anyone would bemoan him for taking that view. He is a high quality payer who deserves regular football at a top club. Many would say, and perhaps rightly, that the pace of the Italian league may suit him better for the remainder of his playing career. But the thought of Lucas leaving still leaves me with some nagging concerns and worries. 

It worries me because I still think our best periods of what was a pretty awful season last season were when he was in the side. Ok we have made some good looking signings and it all feels very different from last time out,  but we're still yet to find out. Ok, Emre Can has a season under his belt and more experience and perhaps he is ready to step into a dominant midfield role. He's younger and quicker than Lucas, but very much unproven still. Ok, Joe Allen can do a job defensively and again is very dynamic, but you wouldn't say he was an out and out DM who can shield a back four. 

What worries me most is the idea that Rodgers simply doesn't see the benefit of a truly defensive midfielder. I would love to see the return to our full flowing attacking football as much as anyone. We nearly won the league with that approach (and a truly world class forward in our side) but ultimately we didn't win the league and that was down to some very poor defending at times. We don't have Suarez any more and although I'm confident we'll score more goals this season, we also need players with the guile, grit and experience to close a game down, to make it ugly. Lucas has all those qualities. 

I've already mentioned our busy season and the need for a large squad, and the brilliance of a large squad is that it can contain a variety of players with a variety of qualities. Were Lucas to leave I would worry that we would be left with no players who have the true ability to shield a back four, break play up and grab the momentum of a game back. 

I would also be worried that we are losing a great professional with a lot of experience who can really help our young players develop - we all know we've lost a fair few of them already. 

Time will tell whether my concerns are well founded, and I truly hope I'm wrong if Lucas does go, but I'm afraid although Rodgers has my backing, he still hasn't quite retained my trust. 

RAOTL Column - Liverpool you got me dreaming...

This article was first published in Issue 214 of Liverpool Fanzine Red All Over The Land - pick up a copy at the Bournemouth game or subscribe now. 

A colleague of mine is a massive Derby fan and a real football connoisseur who enjoys a good football podcast. I pointed him in the direction of The Anfield Wrap knowing that despite not being a Liverpool fan he’d appreciate the quality of footballing knowledge and insight as well more than the odd mention of Jordan Ibe who Derby fans still pine over.

About a week later he came over to me and said “I’ve been listening to Liverpool fans talk about Liverpool for a week, and now I’m convinced that you’re going to win the league.” “I know the feeling” I replied.

And that’s what football is all about - hope. Supporters of all clubs must get it, but I think Liverpool fans more than most; that pre-season feeling of hope… the feeling that this year will be our year. The plethora of new signings look the business, we’ve just battered some Thai XI 4-0 or something… the players are talking about unity and a great team spirit… what could possibly go wrong? We’re going to win the league!

But as in life in general, where would we be without hope?  It’s what keeps us going and this pre-season is no different. Every summer since I can remember (so about 1993) I have started the season thinking we are going to win the league. And we never have. But this summer is no different. Because if you don’t believe? What is the point?

Last summer we had just come as close as we have for years to winning the league, as the players did their lap of honour round Anfield the place was full of excitement and hope for the future - some of our summer business looked a bit strange, but in Brendan we trusted. As we all know… that hope couldn’t have turned to despair fast enough. This summer we were wondering who would be in charge come the 8th of August let alone whether we’d have any chance of challenging for the league.

Yet as ever I am excited about the season ahead… I have real hope. After FSG decided to stick with their man and give him a rare 2nd chance the club have done some very swift and what looks like shrewd work in the transfer market. Of course it’s easy for transfers to look good in pre-season and as we know from last summer, the proof is in the pudding, but when you look at what went wrong last season it appears that we have looked to address those problems and with some good personnel.

Despite what some people thought of him we have lost an experienced right back in Glen Johnson but replaced him with an extremely capable young English player in Nathaniel Clyne. He looks confident and assured in his pre-season displays and excitingly a defender first and foremost. But that is not to say he doesn’t like to get up the pitch and join in attacks.

Replacing Steven Gerrard is impossible, but in James Milner we have bought a hugely experienced footballer, a great professional and a player who is a lot more talented than perhaps some people give him credit for. Quitely people are talking about this signature being one of the deals of the summer. He also possesses something that is so hard to get hold of - he knows how to win. It’s something our young squad lacks - the experience of winning things and his knowledge and presence both on and off the pitch could prove invaluable.

We all know one of the biggest issues we had last season was a lack of goals and we certainly look to have tried to do something about that. Benteke, Firmino, Ings and let’s not forget Origi have all come in. Again there are differing opinions on all of them, but you certainly can’t accuse us of lacking options up top. Everyone seems naturally most excited about Firmino purely because he’s Brazilian and a bit of an unknown - the YouTubers out there would have you believe he will be the next Suarez. I think it’s unfair to expect that much of him before he’s barely kicked a ball, but his record in German is strong and he sounds like the sort of player we will love, skillful, hard working and he scores goals. Let’s just hope he can adapt quickly to Liverpool and the Premier League.

The Benteke signing has been lamented by some and I find that strange. Of all our signings I think he is one of the safest bets. He is proven in the Premier League and his goals to game record is right up there with some of the Premier League’s recent greats. It is nonsense to suggest that he is just a big target man in the ilk of Balotelli and that he won’t suit our style of play. Yes he is big and strong, good in the air and able to hold play up. But he is also fast, skillful, a good finisher and possesses intelligent movement.

Ings is a good young English player and it’s always important to have those in your squad. He works hard and doesn’t mind a good press, which we all know Brendan loves. I do think he has some work to do to prove that he is capable at the very highest level, but I’m pleased that we haven’t bought him to be our first line striker and that he will have the opportunity to develop. He scored a decent number of goals in a very poor Burnley side and that can’t be ignored.

Origi, like Ings is a prospect and no more than that. There is talk that during pre-season he hasn’t looked ready for the highest level, but that’s ok, time will tell and we have the luxury of being able to give him time. Again I am just pleased that we have brought the likes of Benteke in and we’re not pinning all our hopes on a young, unproven kid.

Perhaps what is most exciting is that it almost feels as if we’ve forgotten all about Sturridge, imagine if he manages to get fit and back to his best for the majority of the season? It’ll feel like another signing.

There should also be a mention in dispatches for Joe Gomez, the youngster has impressed so much during pre-season that Rodgers how now ruled out a loan move for him, which looked inevitable when he first signed. He has looked comfortable at left back, ironically probably his least favoured position across the back four. Again we shouldn’t lump too much hope on the kid, but it’s encouraging to have a young defender who looks so comfortable and confident at the club already.

There isn’t much to say about Bogdan, except that he is probably just about an upgrade on Brad Jones.

There is talk that we are still looking for a left back to challenge Moreno and a few other rumours float around, but it very much feels as if our business is pretty much complete and I am very pleased with it.

This year, like every year Liverpool, you’ve got me dreaming. And why not - after all isn’t hope what it’s all about? 

The Uncertainty - RAOTL End of Season Article

I am writing after Liverpool have just drawn 0 – 0 at West Brom, remaining in 5^th place with 5 games left of the 2014 – 15 Premier League Campaign. I’ve yet to see any of the game, but by all accounts we could easily have come out of it with 3 points or equally with none. It is a result which isn’t going to affect much of what I’m about to say.

You’ll be reading this towards the end of the season in RAOTL’s end of season special, and who knows what sort of position Liverpool will be in by then. And that is what I am not enjoying about supporting Liverpool at the moment, the uncertainty.

At the end of last season there was uncertainty… but it was an exhilarating uncertainty. Ok there was huge disappointment that we hadn’t quite made it to our first league title in over 20 years, but there was also a huge sense of excitement about the next season. What’s next? How good can this team and this manager be? 

This article was published in the end of season edition of Liverpool Fanzine Red All Over The Land - to read it in full, pick up a copy at the Crystal Palace game or subscribe.

Remembering the 96 and the ongoing fight for Justice

I've taken my time to put some thoughts down about what is an extremely emotive and difficult time for the families and survivors of the Hillsborough disaster.

I think it can be easy to appear trite when registering your recognition or remembrance of the Hillsborough disaster and the lengthy and horrifically tough fight for justice that continues for the families. I don't want to doubt the sincerity of anyone who recognises the disaster (and our social media accounts posted tribute posts on the 15th of April to recognise the day so you could accuse me of hypocrisy) but it does feel that somehow a hashtag or throwaway post of JFT96 almost trivialises the sheer enormity of injustice that we are dealing with. The reports of people attending the memorial service to take photos and chant the name of players makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable, angry and sad.

I'm an unashamed out of towner, born with no connection to Liverpool and too young to remember the disaster itself, only to decide upon Liverpool FC as my club of choice as a youngster. There was no reason other than a naive attraction towards certain players and a club that seemed different.

So my first awareness of the Hillsborough disaster was from the internet and the early days of Liverpool message boards and chat rooms. At school I read "Hillsborough - The Truth" by Phil Scraton and became immediately immersed in the horrendous injustice and horror of what happened to Liverpool fans and their families not just that day but for years after. An injustice which still remains.

Only over the last couple of years has the incredible injustice begun to be uncovered and a slow realisation is creeping across the wider country. Unfortunately I worry that irreparable damage has been done by the horrific and undeniable smear campaign of blame against the people of Liverpool by the establishment, Thatcher's government, a right wing press and the police.

Having lived in Liverpool for 10 years after University I am now back down south and have to endure the lazy stereotyping of Liverpool on a weekly basis. My colleagues at work or people I come across are perfectly nice and well meaning but I tire of baseless and lazy comments around Liverpool as a place and specifically the Hillsborough disaster. Comments along the lines of "why are people still banging on about it" and "yeah maybe the police messed up, but I bet the fans weren't angels" shows just how deeply the lies and smears have penetrated our modern society.

I will use the word again - injustice. The scale of which is almost incomprehensible. A government in power, supposedly there to represent democracy and us; a police force supposedly there to protect us; a supposedly free and ethical media all conspired to lie and heap misery and pain on families who had suffered horrifically. They conspired to categorically discredit a whole region and turn the rest of the country against them.

I don't want to preach to anyone, but whether you are connected to Liverpool or not, if that injustice doesn’t anger you and make your blood boil then you are a vacuous and cold being that I don't want to know.

The fight for justice isn't over and it must continue alongside a respectful and compassionate understanding of what the families and survivors have been through. They need our support, they need our help, but more than anything they deserve our respect.

- 

Donate to the Hillsborough Justice Campaign

Just Enjoy It

It's a bright and sunny Thursday morning. Last night Liverpool booked their place at Wembley for an FA Cup semi final after beating Blackburn 1-0 in the replay. It was a solid, professional performance.

After back to back defeats to Man Utd and Arsenal, leaving our Top 4 hopes hanging by a thread,  you could have been forgiven for thinking over the last week that we were facing relegation.

I don't know if it is a modern day malaise or it has always been like this, but you do feel that knee jerk over reaction, shameful criticism, abuse and fickleness from a significant set of so called supporters, whether that be Liverpool ones or any other club is a symptom of the modern world and modern game.

Twitter gives any old moron a voice, hundreds of soulless and trite blogs littered with gambling adverts and affiliate links vie for clicks and views with regurgitated and sensationalist clap trap.

Sky Sports News trundles along 24/7 peddling rumours and gossip leaked by unscrupulous agents and "sources" about training ground disputes or crisis meetings.

It's all rather depressing.

It's worth remembering what we're in this for. We're in it because for whatever reason we love football and we love OUR club.

Aside from perhaps my criticism of Lovren (who played really well by the way) I've always struggled with the idea of venomously criticising and slating the club, manager or players that are meant to be our own. I have never booed a Liverpool side, and I never will. Obviously you get frustrated, and there have been dark days where you could legitimately see that the club was in the wrong hands. Hicks, Gillet. I'm looking at you. You cunts. Hodgson I'm looking at you. Paul Konchesky,  I'm looking at you.

But we are a far cry from those days at the moment. We have owners who albeit are clearly money men (who isn't in football these days?) are money men with some values and a long term plan. I don't believe in the rampant commercialism going on at the club, but they are also making good decisions. Like the redevelopment of Anfield.

We have a manager who lives and breathes football, who relishes and understands the magnitude of being Liverpool manager and also happens to be one of the best young managers in the world.

We have an exciting, young and talented crop of players who genuinely seem to love playing for Liverpool and have a real togetherness. You only need to watch the celebration after the Blackburn goal to see that. They are, in the words of Neil Atkinson from TAW "a great bunch of lads."

I have listened to a lot of talk on The Anfield Wrap and read a lot of articles in fanzines recently bemoaning modern football. I am one who bemoans it more than most. But there have also been voices, commonly of lads from TAW who have lept to the defence of the some of the "tourists" and people who are supposedly the problem and looked at the rest of us and gone "yeah we know lads, it's not quite the game as we'd like it, but stop moaning and just enjoy it eh?"

If some of us, myself very much included put as much effort into bemoaning modern football as we did to trying to change it and just enjoying it along the way, we'd all be in a better place.

That goes for you; moronic twitterati. What do you want from all this? To be sat in your armchair as Liverpool win the league year after year and your accas keep rolling in? I bet you'd still find something to moan about. Get angry that we weren't as good as Real Madrid. Why don't you just go and support Chelsea?

Life isn't perfect. That's why it's enjoyable.

Tell you what, put your iPhone down.  Get off TheSportsBible. Get off Lucas' back and go the game. Get a couple of lads together. Even if you're not sat together.... make sure you meet an hour before for a pint. Have a laugh. Talk to human beings. Don't go in the fucking "fun zone." Go in The Flat Iron.

Make a banner. Make a flag. Get a bit pissed before the game and have a bit of a sing. Honestly, it's a laugh. Try it.

And if we lose, yeh moan and swear to your mates. Over a pint. Even post some semi pissed vacuous tweet if you must. But understand that Rodgers or Kolo or Gerrard haven't done it to piss you off deliberately. They're fuming too, you know. And you hurling abuse at them isn't going to help anyone.

I tell you what, supporting Liverpool is more of a laugh than supporting some sides. But do you know what? Lads supporting Luton... or Leyton Orient or Leeds probably have more of a laugh than we do. Because they let themselves enjoy it.

I am of the era that I can't remember the last time we won the league. Fowler is my hero. But I have seen us win a frigging European Cup. FA Cups. The UEFA Cup. Ask my mate who supports Swindon what he has seen them win? Then ask him how much he has enjoyed watching them this season. They play some magic football you know. No, of course you don't.

So yeh.. we beat Blackburn. Felt good didn't it? We're going to Wembley. That's alright isn't it?

Let's enjoy it.

Swansea 0 - Liverpool 1 - Reaction

If there was ever a game that epitomised the cliché "play badly and win" it was this one. Winning ugly.... grinding out results... the sign of a good team. The clichés just keep coming after this result. But win ugly we did and a good side we are.

Perhaps ugly is perhaps a little harsh. Functional would be more accurate. You have to feel sorry for Swansea, they were much the better side in the first half and Mignolet had to make a couple of decent saves. But on the other hand, in a way that it becoming increasingly heartening, we still looked relatively comfortable in defence. You could look at the first half an hour as a decent side simply handling a good spell from a good side, at home.

We improved markedly in the 2nd half and Swansea began to wane. Worrying we still didn't create a great deal and it was a huge amount of fortune that brought about our goal. But here come the clichés again.... you make your own luck. Or perhaps more accurately, Brendan Rodgers makes our own luck. It was a shrewd tactical move from him to bring Gerrard on and lie him deep where he could both shield the back four, pull the strings and allow Henderson and Allen to push a bit further forward. Had that happened, it's not as likely that Henderson would have made the run that he did for the goal.

You also have to feel that had we not got that luck we would have created something to get the goal before the end. Sterling and Sturridge improved as every minute of the 2nd half passed. It was a shame that Sturridge's clever little effort at the end bounced back off the post.

I'm not going to go through and rate each player individually. On the whole I think everyone ranged from a 4 to a 7... maybe a 7.5 with mentions in dispatches for Mignolet, Skrtel, Sakho and Allen at the top end of that scale. Lallana and Can very much at the other end.

Gerrard's contribution is worthy of mention - you'd expect nothing less from a player of his experience and quality.

It sets up this Sunday's game with Utd perfectly. There is no doubt that it is a behemoth of a game... but strangely enough a point probably wouldn't be a bad result. Utd have an incredibly hard run in compared to us.

But we can't go into it looking for anything other than a convincing win and I'd like to think everyone has been saving their 8s and 9s for this one...

Tweet @AnfieldShrine

Liverpool 2 - Man City 1 - Reaction

After crashing out of the Europa League in midweek.... or indeed late midweek (if that is a thing) a lot of pre-match talk was around the idiocy of having to kick off against City at noon on Sunday. Now no longer living in Liverpool, it also meant a 5am alarm clock for me in order to ensure we made kick off comfortably.

Arriving in a windy but beautifully sunny Liverpool I was struck by just how much I miss the place. Putting that slight melancholy aside it was up to the ground and into Home Baked Anfield for what is becoming an obligatory pre match coffee. I can't enthuse enough about Home Baked Anfield, it represents everything I love about Liverpool... an industrious and creative social enterprise doing genuinely brilliant work for the community without any insincere, patronising millionaires talking about a "big society" in sight. I also took the opportunity to buy copies of We Are Liverpool and RAOTL fanzines which are stocked in there. As you will have probably seen from previous posts, independent print fanzines are struggling to survive in the environment of modern football and they too should be supported. I wouldn't be surprised if the number of 'fans' sporting a half 'n' half scarf outnumbered those buying a fanzine and that is a truly depressing thought.

The malaise of modern football is a topic that troubles me constantly, and one that seemingly does so for a lot of other football fans. Short of turning our backs on going to the match completely, I don't know what the answer is and it is a complex debate. I'll be penning some thoughts on modern football exclusively in issue 212 of RAOTL which is out some time late March... so pick up a copy, but for now I put those frustrations behind me and looked to enjoy the game.

Usually in the kop, me and my old man were position in the slightly unorthodox spec of block 128 of the Anny Road (which is in fact on the Centenary Stand side). It's not a horrific spec in itself, but it is virtually impossible to see the corner under the scoreboard. Anyway... by all accounts lots of fans had 'lost their shit' as the kids say about Rodgers team selection and a lack of a "recognised" striker in the starting 11. I admit I was surprised not to see Sturridge starting, but are we all not agreed that Sterling has now become a striker...if not a recognised one? Confusing. Anyway, Rodgers must feel that Sturridge is still finding his feet after the lengthy lay off. Whatever the reason, no one was thinking about it 10 minutes in when Henderson produced an absolute cracking strike to put us 1 up. The opening sparring had been pretty even and both sides looked like they would threaten, but the fact that we have players starting to produce goals like that for us is extremely encouraging. The loss of Gerrard at the end of the season is starting to look a little less concerning as Henderson seems to grow into his leadership role with every game.

Although I felt Liverpool were well worthy of our lead it wasn't a huge surprise to see City equalise just before the half an hour mark. Just like the same game last season, we were going to do very well to get away with City not scoring as despite what anyone says about them they are a very, very good side. The goal was a good move and completely opened up our otherwise pretty solid defence and so it looked as if we were heading for a really tight 50 - 60 minutes.

I had said before the game that I would happily have taken a point out of this game, and this thought crossed my mind again after they equalised. I don't think it was an overly negative thought, considering how poor we were before Christmas in our push for 4th spot I really felt like a point today might prove pretty good value.

Clearly Liverpool had different ideas to me, and am I glad about that. In the second half despite City having plenty of intent, we actually defended pretty resolutely and limited them to just one short on target. On 75 minutes the "little magician" that is Coutinho produced his 2nd "worldie" in as many weeks. We all knew he needed to add goals to his game, and in truly Brazilian fashion, he's decided to add not just goals, but incredible goals. It wasn't just his strike that was so pleasing though, his all round game today was an absolute pleasure to watch, We are blessed to have him at the club... and let's just hope like so many of our youngsters, the rest of the football fraternity and the Spanish giants in particular continue to "underrate" him completely.

It was always going to be a nervy and tense last ten minutes but these days I am a lot more confident about our ability to hold on to leads. A couple of substitutions and stoppages took the sting out of the game and it's something which I think we are becoming increasingly good at... what the modern day football people would call "game management." Or I suppose more traditionally what we would call "seeing a game out." So saw the game out we did and on reflection as we darted down the Walton Breck Road it was 3 points that, on balance, I think we very much deserved.

The blueshite failed to us any sort us favour in the immediate aftermath... but no change there then. We're not a side to rely on others though and on we march after our blip in Europe. Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool... are we on our way to glory?