THERE'S STILL A CHANCE, SLIM IT MAY SEEMS

Me and the whole `entourage' while I was in Karachi. Not only these Rangers responsible for my safety but also ensure the road was `smooth' for the journey.

1. I must admit that I didn't really study the whole situation of our beloved club when I jotted down my thoughts yesterday, especially when I was caught with a hefty long day working all around the Karachi city and then watching the `deadly' equaliser by that Lyon players. But since then, I had the opportunity to really sit in front of my laptop and read thoroughly the whole debacle and our current state of infamy.
   
   
2. To my relieve (and I hope you guys share it with me!), Liverpool was not really out and out of the race - as yet. There are still 2 games to go, and mathematically, we do still have that chance, albeit how slim it could be, since we have to pray and rely on the defeat of Fiorentina and hoping the likes of Torres, Benayoun and... errr.. Babel... Kuyt ... hmmm... to score more than 3 goals to grab that 2nd spot for the next round. There is still hopes. And this is where I like it most. I love to be the underdog. Let people assumed what ever they want, then we rise to the occasion and executed the coup de grace... so I hope.
   
   
3. I see that some of you don't really like my statement pertaining to the `new Liverpool fans'. Let me debate here a bit more. In any event, like it or not, while having a club to support and hold on to the rest of your life, we can't deny the necessity of having the new generations of fans. This is especially important in terms of commercialism in the long run. There won't be any sponsors if Liverpool kept on losing and the number of fans deteriorated. The impact on the season fans like many of us would be massive when that fact is not ratified. I really don't want it to reoccur when I have to pray every week for the satellite tv to air the live matches of Liverpool or searching endlessly all around the city simply just to look for the club's merchandise. What we have now is luxury. Almost every shopping malls have the dedicated stores that sold LFC's merchandise. Why? Because there are markets for it. What's the point of having a product but no one is buying. This could happened if Liverpool lost its attraction, especially now when it seems that almost any team can beat us. Birmingham City could be dreaming the same dream. To beat the hell out of the broken Liverpool. Lets hope the rot will stop with the Birmingham match. Lets hope.
   

DOOMED, GLOOMED...

This was my actual police escort... in Karachi, Pakistan on 4-5 Nov 2009

1. The time difference between Malaysia and Pakistan is 3 hours. I was in a state of joy earlier because of the thought that I will be watching it `a bit earlier' than the usual 3.45am that I had to endure in Shah Alam. So I watch the freaking match and what a devastation to see the late late equaliser by the Lyon outfit. Thus the eminent demised of Liverpool in the European Cup and hey we are now the hot favourite to win the new Europa Cup... huh....
   
   
2. I see that some of you have posted your dismay. Fine. I can't stop any of you from doing it because I am also very much pissed-off. Luckily, my programmes here in Pakistan are packed and my small entourage of 5 journalists doesn't have a fanatic like me, though at least 2 of them confessed of being a fan of our rivals. hah... never mind. Even the head of our security detail claimed he is a fan of Chelsea.
   
   
3. This is the after-effect of the losses. We won't be seeing new fans among the new generation because no way the young ones would support a losing-prone team like Liverpool now. No way. It's a pain in the heart and in the arse!!!...
   
   
4. I will be here till next week. Please pray for my safety. YNWA...
   
   

Rafa's future lies in the next 3 games?

The memories of 2005 can never erased the current state of infamy...

1. Many pundits, sports writers are suggesting that Rafa's tenure would be greatly depended on the next three games. If Liverpool lost all 3, that means Rafa must go or so that claimed to be. The frustration felt by all the LFC fans all over the world cannot be justified nor hidden. The crazy and suicide tactics by Rafa in the Fulham match was deemed as his betrayal to his words to us that he will focus on the Premier League, not Champions.
   
   
2. If that is so Rafa, when Liverpool lose against Lyon... for me there won't be another 2 games to decide your fate. By Friday, the cry would be louder for your head. I'm not sure if I would be among them. I prefer not to, at this juncture. Not my style. I don't belittling my own favourite team, but criticizing is a totally different meaning with belittling - according to my James Brooke's English understanding...
   
   
3. I will be travelling abroad on Wednesday, thus I'm not sure if I can present my posting in the blog. I'll find a time in between. I am a bit worried if the country that I'll be visiting don't have the football channel. But feel free to write some, send it to my gmail and I'll published it here.

Fulham 3 - LFC 1 (+ 2 red cards...)

Did the erratic decision by Benitez caused us the Fulham game?

1. It's 30 minutes to go. Then you took out Torres. WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, RAFAEL BENITEZ? Lyon? That's three days more. Why can't you focus on the current battle? We're not even leading at the time, but were down 2-1. And you think Ryan Babel can changed that?
   
   
2. Then the referee exploded with obnoxiousness and an ordinary tackle by Degen was deemed a red card offence. Never mind that. Then you took out Yossi Benayoun. Who do you have? No you didn't have anyone. That's why Ecclestone was criticised for his lack of experience. We lost Carragher. Find. The third Fulham's goal was inevitable. Luckily, it stayed that way until the end.
   
   
3. People will remember this game not so much for the 2 red cards. Because referee decision is a normal thing to debate, mock or cursed at. But this time around, it is Rafa's decision would be the focus of condemnation. Fans will be shouting for reasons from Rafa... why must he pull-off Torres? He wasn't injured or seriously injured for that matter. Because once Torres was out of the pitch, that rejuvenate Fulham... That decision of Rafa invited the many attacks by Fulham and ultimately, forced Carra to do the tackled and was given a grand prize of a Red Card.
   


4. Again, the situation could be different if Torres's replacement is another established striker but Ryan Babel? OH MY GOD!... OH MY GOD!... I text Manaf... DIE, DIE and so it became true.
   


5. Do we say goodbye to our 19th title challenge? I wish not to do so because the season is still long. I am a pragmatic person, never ever a pessimist. If I cloud my mind with all the defeats and defeatism in me, I won't last this long in my day job. So you guys, please think positive. A defeat by our beloved team should be considered a mere result. It must not affect our lives. For a good remedy, just reminisced our gallant win against Manchester United last week. We can lost many games, drew 10 but nothing compares to a win against Manchester United...!!!
   
   
6. Though I'm not so sure about Rafa's, after tonight's defeat.

Liverpool doesn't have the 2nd Team that ROCKS...

David Ngog is not really a Premier League item as yet.

1. I have analyse and even gave it quite a serious thoughts on the defeat against Arsenal last Thursday. I think I still have some biff to express, some issues to deliberate, some pissing needs to clean-up...
   
   
2. First, the team that was featured in the Carling Cup was not our first-eleven. Then it's supposed to be our second-eleven. Aside than Insua who has been the regular for the last few weeks, the rest are mostly used sparingly or as a subs or played only when the regulars crocked. Unfortunately, Skrtel found himself in this line-up, simply because he has been carrying some injuries picked during the World Cup Qualifying games.
   
   
3. But Arsenal could also claimed the same, even though the line-up boast a rather still intriguing players such as Eduardo, Nasri, Bendtner, Senderos and Silvestre. And Bendtner scored the winning goal. My mind won't want to lie nor manipulate those facts. Arsenal was also presenting more and more opportunities to the kids that have been groomed and developed, and hell it proves something very worthy with the win against Liverpool.
   
   
4. What my mind would say is that Liverpool is simply a first-eleven team. We don't have a reliable second-eleven like what Arsenal could muster. Not much can be debated about money since Arsene Wenger didn't really utilised his money for the last few seasons, especially after getting rid of Adebayour, though he did bought that Russian boy.
   
   
5. So we don't have any hopes if we kept on relying it on the hands of players such as Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Dossena, Lucas (well... he did pretty good in the ManUre win...), David Ngog. The youngsters we got such as Plessis, Spearing, Eccleston are just not up to it as yet.

WE CAN'T BUY NEW STRIKER, MIGHT AS WELL UTILISED WHAT GOOD WE HAVE LEFT

A rare and expensive experience to watch Liverpool and Nemeth scored twice against Singapore, last July 2009

1. Now my memory keep telling my heart to question Rafa's decision to loan out Christian Nemeth to AEK Athens. The boy has been scoring left & right in the youth set-up. The excuse given was for Nemeth to find more playing experience, since the quota for such strikers are already full at Liverpool.
   
   
2. Well Rafa, David Ngog surely has reach the point where he is evaluated and the result should be only B. He is not good enough for Liverpool. I don't care about the fact that he scored in the ManU match because what is more important is for him to score on a regular basis, when ever he is picked to play. Which is not the reality.
   
   
3. What I am worried is that the goal against ManUre for Ngog would be something we would cherished with sadden feelings, similar to Neil Mellor's surprised winning goal against Arsenal at Anfield in 2004. Mellor didn't even make it to the regular team sheet. And I'm not sure if Mellor is still with Preston.
   
   
4. In this argument, it is prudent for Rafa to recall Nemeth now, and bring him back for the squad in January. Of course I don't know what is his development there in Greece, but most of us must have seen and witness how Nemeth could do better than Ngog. After all, unlike Ngog - Nemeth has been nurtured and groomed in our own football academy. I had the privilege last July to watch personally Nemeth scored two goals against Singapore. The goals wasn't a simple tap-in but something you get to see always in the Premier League.
   
   
5. Someone must find a way to tell Rafa that Nemeth should be recalled in January. Well, this argument is valid only when it is confirmed that Rafa would not be given any money to buy a high-class striker in January.
   
   

PLAYERS WE NEED TO GET RID IN JANUARY 2010

According to the latest news reports, Dossena has expressed his desire to return to Italy for lacking of playing opportunity afforded to him by Rafa Benitez in Liverpool. The 27-year-old international left-back failed to establish himself after being signed as John Arne Riise's replacement in a £7million transfer from Udinese last summer. Dossena made just 12 Barclays Premier League starts and towards the end of the season was third choice behind Fabio Aurelio and young Argentinian Emiliano Insua. The Italian has told Benitez he would like to return to his homeland, with Juventus his preferred destination. For this we say to him: Arivederci...!!! Thanks for the joyous goals against Real Madrid and Manchester United last season. That's all.

Since he is the only one at the moment announced about his wishes, we would like to urge a few more players to follow suit. Starting with:

Ryan Babel. He had so many chances but failed to covert any. He was one of the reason Liverpool lost to the freaking Arsenal kids in the Carling Cup. He can't handled the ball properly, he can't passed and he doesn't know how to tackle accurately. He is just dumb. We would like to wish him: Vaarwel...!!!

We are hoping that Babel won't find excuses not to send his transfer request this January. We had enough of his shortcomings. He is just not fit to be in the Liverpool squad. I doubt if even Barnsley would be bother.

Another player that we should say good bye to is:

Andriy Voronin. He was also the contributing factor for our failure in the Carling Cup. Although in the last few minutes he did some beautiful moves but he was lousy almost the entire game. Still can't believed the tag of the 2nd highest goal scorer in the Bundesliga. That German league must be a pathetic football league to boast Voronin as one of its top scorer and yet failed miserably to emulate his form in the Premier League. I hate his ponytail. It's so out-dated. For this we say: GET LOST...!

Arsenal 2 - LFC 1 (Luckily we don't hate Arsenal as much as Manchester United..!!!)

Beautiful goal from Insua but not enough to survive the Carling Cup...

1. We came into the game at the back of the famous win against Manchester United. Of course, the expectation is high. But as soon as I saw the line-up prior to the kick-off... I told myself, it would be a mountain too high. Not when you have Voronin, Babel, David Ngog as your front men. True enough, Arsenal made a fool of the lots with their blistering, quick touch football.
   
   
2. There were numerous chances for those three to score but hell, none could finish it. And to analyse the whole game (which is actually not relevant at this juncture... hahaha), if we meet again in the Premier League and having our strongest 1st eleven... Arsenal won't find it as easy as last night. Skrtel had a terrible time in managing Eduardo at the left and Bendtner on the right and Nasri in the middle. He's tag team with Kyrgiakos can best be termed as erratic and full of nervousness. Last night team was a shadow to the one that beat Manchester United last Sunday.
   
   
3. Alberto Aquilani was introduced a bit too late into the game. Don't know why, ask Rafa. Same with Benayoun who could be excused as giving him some space to rest but you're playing in a professional league and got paid handsomely, who would want to rest? Aquilani did show one brilliant pass ala-Alonso in his short 13 mins plus 3 debut. Hey, he might even have equalised for us if not for the ball that stuck onto Sandero's hands. That is encouraging show albeit how minuscule the time that were given to Aquilani. He should start the next game.
   
   
4. And the UK press are saying that Rafa is back on pressure. Is it so?

Arsenal vs Liverpool: Aquilani's first game : MUST WATCH

1. Don't know about you guys preparation for the 2.45am game in a few hours. I am fully charged now. Being at work, I finished my pages way way very early and now simply sitting on my desk figuring out what and how to burn the time. I shall start my engine at 12.30am and ETA within 40mins... Then may be, a hot drink to keep me awake after a hot shower ( I know it's not healthy to take shower very late at night but I don't think I can sleep without one...after a long day).
   
   
2. The match is a big one, albeit it's only a Carling Cup but when you're up against Arsenal and just a few days defeating the mighty ManUre... the sentiment from the fans all over the world is reverberating for another win.
   
   
3. The highlight of the game is not so much if Gerrard would play or not, or even Torres. But the first appearance of our newly acquired midfielder, Alberto Aquilani from Italy. I am looking forward to see him play and wishes that he can put a stop to the advancement of Arsenal young kids, led by Fabregas. I'm not sure if Wenger would field his best 11, though. And surely this won't be a dull game. It won't. Stay up with me. Watch the game. Watch Aquilani.
   

SPECIAL EDITION T-SHIRT: MANCHESTER UNITED 3 TIMES BEATEN

Again I got this from Facebook. Not sure how real it is or simply a good banter to mock those Man.United fans. Again, cut & paste it and post it in your domain. The party continues!

THE PARTY'S STILL HOT BUT DON'T GET OVERBOARD

1. We have every right to celebrate. We have every right to shout. We have every right to mock them. Because a win is a win. No matter how Sir Alex Ferguson cursed the referee for not giving any penalties for the tough-cracking tackles made by Carra. Or that Carra should have been booked for stopping the Judas. Who cares! The goals were legitimate. The goals were correct. It wasn't a mere luck. It was Liverpool at his best. Especially when confronting the arch-enemy in Manchester United. We won it out right! Yeah...!!!!
   
   
2. The concerned now would be can we sustained the momentum? Can we see the consistency? That means we have to beat Arsenal this Thursday early morning (Malaysian time). And for that, we must calm down and set our foot back to the ground, back to reality and put aside the partying for a moment.
   
   
3. This doesn't mean we should leave the fact that we have just beaten the so-called mighty Red Devil but it would be an act of maturity in all of us - Liverpool fans. We do and should cherish the win against Man.U but it was only one game in a season. (Though some would say, we can lose 4 games but nothing compares when you beat Man.U). There's still massive games awaits us in coming months and a very soon crunch game against those young kids of Arsenal a day after tomorrow.
   
   
4. Should we be worried? We're not invisible at all. We lost to Sunderland. We lost to the beach ball...! We have lost 4 games on the trot. Thus ensuring all of us to be realistic and down to earth when talking about our beloved club. Do not try to be loud and arrogant like those Man.U or slickly like Chelsea. Maintain our composure and the right attitude for Liverpool is simply to hold on to the fact that we have beaten Man.U. And on the same breath, we shouldn't be talking aloud about title-chase. It is alive, rejuvenated or whatever, but it's still a long shot. The only certainty would be from the team itself. If they maintain the style of hard work and aggressiveness like in the Man.U game, even Real Madrid we can do harm. But if we play like we did in the previous games of losses... well, say sayonara to the title chase.
   
   
5. I have been bombarding the Facebook with all sorts of pictures & writing mocking the Man.U defeats. Above is one of the photos that I took without permission from the FB. Feel free to cut & paste it, and slot it into your own domain. After all, we hold the rights to belittling them. hahaha.... PUAS HATI AKU!