28 September 2008

THE END OF FASTING MONTH, TIME TO CELEBRATE AIDILFITRI



I will be flying back to my home town in Kuching, Sarawak in the afternoon (less than 12 hours from the time of writing now). Due to unknown territory (Internet access), I doubt if I can blog that frequent in this coming weeks. One thing for sure, I definitely will spend more time with my mom and dad, rather than switching on my VAIO.
Before I end this writing for the month of September which is coinciding with the month of Ramadan in Islamic calendar, I wish all of you a Happy Aidilfitri Maaf Zahir dan Batin if in my correspondent with any of you that might construed as rude and unruly. I shall be back in full gear by October 5th. Until then, Asalamualaikum and Selamat Hari Raya to all of you!

p/s I will be wearing my Liverpool shirt (without the sponsor logo... my mom won't like it if she saw it) tomorrow with pride and satisfying feeling. We have beat not only Everton tonight but remember September the 13th... we beat Man. United convincingly!
utusanlfc


2nd p/s Arsenal was beaten by Hull City 1-2 and all the goals were scored by the Hulls. It was an own goal by Hull for Arsenal to take the lead in the 50th minutes. But in the 62nd and again 4 minutes later, Arsenal were gone. hahaha 2.26am

EVERTON 0 - TORRES 2 (could have been a hatrick)








It was a victory that gives Liverpool their best start to a Premier League season - with star striker Torres ending a barren six-game sequence in style and keeper Pepe Reina not having a save to make in the match - BBC Sports

This is one of the most satisfying game, in terms of determination and demolition by our main striker. The combination of Keane, Kuyt and Torres surely a devastating trio. All the 2 goals were `coordinated' between them three. In fact, the other 2 goals were also orchestrated by this trio. It would be nice if the 2 goals were counted... but hey... 2-0 is ok.

I cannot help it but noticed when the whistle was blown, only two particular players on the pitch raise their hands celebrating as if it was the final game of the season. Who else? Those two former Blues themselves - Carra and Gerrard. Still I can't comprehend why such animosity persisted within this 2 clubs in that city... Ok, I'm an international fan, not a Kop. Though the joke can be said that Everton now does look like the team B of Manchester United. They have Neville, Howard and Saha. For that, beating Everton is sweet to me.

Should I comment also on Torres? I don't think so. He has shown his capabilities last season and of course, he will be a bit slow in the current season. May be the opponent's defenders have done their homework well on how to stop him. Like Stoke City, there were 4 backs and 5 midfielders to ensure the ball never arrive at Torres. Everton did almost the same but the marauding Kuyt and the lively Keane ensure the focus cannot be turn to Torres alone. The first goal proves that once Lescott busy to stop Kuyt, Torres was unguarded at the back, thus the beautiful goal. It wasn't easy. Not when you have to deal with the likes of Tim Howard - still a capable stopper, regardless of his brilliant time with Man.U is long over. Then of course, Kuyt was also the catalyst to the second goal. The cute flick by Keane was taken smoothly by Kuyt but he can't get passed the defence. Torres was not even in the picture until the balls drop in front him to bazooka it across the helpless Howard. hmmm.... the best gift for Aidilfitri, this coming Wednesday. And on Thursday, be prepared to watch LFC vs Eindhoven. I surely gonna watch it with my nephews in Kuching. NGAP SAYOT!

27 September 2008

More Photos : The Guardian UK


Mike Riley : 6 yellow cards and a red for Cahill. Isn't Merseyside derby an interesting game at all? Without the yellows and the reds, then won't fit the bill. It was the eighth red card in the last eight derbies, and the 17th in 33 Premier League clashes between the clubs.


hiyaaaaaahu.... Long Live Torres!

At the other end, Carra is celebrating mad with the fans... hey Carra go to the red corner, not the blue. hahaha

Fifa should have banned Croatia over racist abuse


Fifa has fined the Croatia Football Federation £14,920 after a section of their supporters racially abused Emile Heskey during the World Cup qualifier with England.
World football's ruling body launched the investigation following an official complaint by the FA after Heskey was taunted with monkey chants from a section of the Maksimir Stadium during England's 4-1 victory in Zagreb.
*
I must say this is not really an appropriate penalty for Croatia. The Balkans inability to curb the problem is regretful. This is not the 1st time black players were taunted with monkey chants. In fact, as I can recalled, Heskey and Ashley Cole were the obvious target when they play for England a few years ago in eastern Europe. On the live telecast, I was astonished and baffled with the inhuman noise every time Heskey or Cole got the ball. I also remember Heskey got the same treatment when he was playing for Liverpool, also in the Eastern Europe. Shame. In fact, Samuel Eto was so annoyed, he almost refuse to play midway before being coaxed by his manager at the time. Terrible situation it was. But mind you, these stupidity existed all over Europe even in places like Italy and Spain, though majority of the complaints would be from Eastern Europe Caucasus.

How in the world does this kind of sentiment still persist? ohhh... I just remember. Croatia and her neighbours just had their civil wars in the 1990s... Because of what? Because of racist sentiment, neo-Nazi issues - not only perpetrated by their politician but embraced by their people. Those morons in the Balkans somehow still prescribed to the outdated ideas of white supremacist. In fact, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the neo-Nazi Serbs murdered and slaughtered their fellow whites, simply because they did not pray to the same God. They wanted to have the purest bloodline, white and Christian. Yeah what ever.

But £14,920 is peanut for a penalty of racism. Croatia should have been banned, not only in world Cup but also club levels within the European Union. Then only, those Balkans or who ever will realised the need and urgent undertaking to discipline, to educate their supporters to respect other human beings. In fact, its former Bosnian Serb president Radovan Karadzic, accused of masterminding "ethnic cleansing" deportations and killings of Bosnian Muslims and Croats, has been arrested after more than a decade in hiding, just last July.

So don't go preaching to the others that Europe is a place of civilization, a place where people respect each other. The most recent brutal war happened in the Europe. Just like in Africa. Europe is the same with Africa in terms of racism and ethnic cleansing.

Croatia Football Federation should have been banned. Not a mere monetary penalty (and that such silly small amount).

SAY NO TO RACISM. SAY NO TO MONKEY CHANTS.

26 September 2008

Liverpool vs Everton 7.40pm 27 Sept 2008 (bet how many yellow & red cards to be issued tonight?)


Neville got his red card when he pretend to be a goallie... which didn't work at all!

If I'm not mistaken, Hubbard just clattered Gerrard and the ref looks like taking out the yellow when Gerrard walk by and utter something. Then the red card came out. All were seen on LIVE TV...

21 players have been sent off in total in Merseyside ‘derby' fixtures – seven Liverpool and 14 Everton with seven red cards being brandished in the last seven games and 16 in total in 32 Premier League meetings.

Meanwhile, Dailysports reported that Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken of his amazement that referee Mike Riley will be in charge of tomorrow's Merseyside derby.
The Manchester United manager is still angry with the official after he booked seven of his players in last week's 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
Ferguson believes Riley should have been penalised rather than "rewarded" for the display, saying: 'I looked at the Chelsea game and there wasn't a bad tackle in the match. But he's been rewarded, he's got Everton v Liverpool tomorrow. That will be fun and games!'

25 September 2008

Gareth Bale, not Gareth Barry to replace Aurelio



According to the dailysports : Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will reopen old Tottenham wounds with a £15million January swoop for Spurs full back Gareth Bale.
The Wales defender, who has been on brilliant form this season, is seen by the Anfield hierarchy as a better alternative to Spaniard Fabiano Aurelio.

utusanLFC :
Bale is 19 years old. If LFC want to pay that much for him, well so be it. Because with his age and the amount of money that many club wishes to invest on him, he will be a good investment definitely. Not someone 28 years old and already cost us a lot of embarrasement. Some more, I suspect the rule is related to the FIFA law that imposed every club to posses 8 local players. If ever the report is true... as it's still far away to materialise and for Hotspurs to fight until the last to keep Bale.

Blackburn 1 Everton 0 : FOWLER GAVE EVERTON A TORRID TIME...this is why, precisely why The God Always Loved by The Kops

Fowler has joined Blackburn on an initial three-month, pay-as-you-play deal. The former England striker was raised as an Everton devotee but made his name as one of Liverpool’s most renowned goalscorers, and the announcement of his name before kick- off met with a chorus of boos from around 5,000 travelling fans.

Old habits die hard: Fowler (left) makes a nuisance of himself in the Everton box, as Phil Jagielka (centre) and Tim Howard (floored) combine to thwart the former Liverpool idol.

SELIPAR JEPUN

Berikutan banyak berlaku kehilangan selipar di lokasi-lokasi strategik, anda dinasihatkan supaya membuat persediaan seperti gambar di bawah :


saja... petang petang mengantuk ni... nak isap rokok takleh. apa lagi? merapu dalam internet la. Asal jangan sebar fitnah, tengok porno... sudahlah. hihii

24 September 2008

THE SMALL CLUB : Who do you hate most?

1) THE TOFFEES IN THE GOODISON PARK? AND I DO SUSPECT THE WRITING WERE MEANT FOR CARRA.

2) MIKEL ARTETA? IF HE IS SO GOOD, HOW COME HE IS NOT IN THE SPANISH TEAM? BUT WE HAVE ALONSO, ARBELOA, REINA AND TORRES.

3) TIM CAHILL? SOON WILL BE FORGOTTEN JUST LIKE A CERTAIN AUSSIE IN LFC.

4) DAVID MOYES? HERE IS THE MOST MEMORABLE PHOTOS OF MOYES AND SHREK.

5) PHIL NEVILLE? ARE YOU DUMB? MAN.U DON'T MIGRATE TO LIVERPOOL. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT BY DONNING THE BLUE SHIRT, YOU WILL BE LOVED BY THE MERSEYSIDE? DUMB-BO.

The small club across the park... will be beaten by the might of Liverpool Football Club this Saturday


(again I pick this up from Wikipedia...what fun if I stole it from the official site?)

Everton were founded in 1878 and have a notable rivalry with Liverpool F.C., known as the Merseyside derby. Liverpool were formed fourteen years later than Everton (in 1892) after a dispute over the rent at Anfield, Everton's old ground; since then Everton have been based at Goodison Park as a result of the split. In 2006, it was announced that the club and Knowsley Council were discussing the construction of a new 55,000 seater stadium in Kirkby.
*
NICKNAMES
Everton's most widely recognised nickname is "The Toffees" or "The Toffeemen", which came about after Everton had moved to Goodison. There are several explanations for how this name came to be adopted, the most well known being that there was a business near the ground called Mother Noblett's Toffee Shop which advertised and sold sweets, including the Everton Mint, on match days. This also led to the Toffee Lady tradition in which a girl walks around the perimeter of the pitch before the start of a game tossing free Everton Mints into the crowd. Another possible reason is that there was a house called Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House near the Queen's Head hotel in which early club meetings took place.
The word "toffee" was also slang referring to Irishmen, of which there was a large population in the city at the turn of the century and who tended to support Everton rather than city rivals Liverpool.
Everton have had many other nicknames over the years. When the black kit was worn Everton were nicknamed "The Black Watch", after the famous army brigade.
Since going blue in 1901, Everton have been given the simple nickname "The Blues". Everton's attractive style of play led to Steve Bloomer calling the team "scientific" in 1928, which is thought to have inspired the nickname "The School of Science".
While the battling 1995 FA Cup winning side were known as "The Dogs of War". When David Moyes arrived as manager he proclaimed Everton as "The People's Club", which has been adopted as a semi-official club nickname.
Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez gave a new nickname to Everton: ``The Small Club'' which was adopted by LFC's fan all over the world when they refer to that team in blue.

Rizal Hashim piece on Michael Owen (a true article in an actual newspaper! hahaha)


Rizal Hashim has left a new comment on your post "Michael Owen, once upon a time we love him so much...":
^
despite his brilliance in slaloming past a few Argentine sissies en route to scoring the goal in the 1998 World Cup, Owen is an overrated player. imagine it took a frenchman (gerard houllier) to make him realise using his left foot was also key to his overall performance...here I shall share with you an article I wrote a few years back for the Sunday Mail...
Publication : SUM Edition :
Date : 20/03/2005
Page Number : 74
Headline : Houllier: Vital to spot talent early
Words : 1611
Byline : By Rizal Hashim
Text :

THE last time Sunday Mailsport's RIZAL HASHIM met Gerard Houllier in the flesh was almost eight years ago, when the Frenchman was in Shah Alam charting the fortunes of the French Under-20 team in the Youth World Cup. At that time, Houllier was linked to a job in the English FA and his only answer to Sunday Mailsport's question about the speculation was "who told you?" The former Liverpool, Paris St Germain, Lens and France national teamboss, however, revealed interesting insights into his career in addressingAsia's elite coaches during the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)Football Conference in Kuala Lumpur.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
There are five elements to success in youth development. They are selecting talent through the right criteria, reserved training facilities, adapted training programmes, qualified experienced coaches and the successful step-up to professional level. Spotting talent, the earlier the better, with a scouting system that works for clubs on a national level. Selecting the best means judging a player by his first touch and quickness of feet. Pace is not really crucial at a young age. Zinedine Zidane is not the quickest of players but he blossomed due to his quick thinking and quickness of feet. The emphasis is on intelligence. Then we look for the competitive edge in a player, the winning mentality that is embodied by Steven Gerrard. Reserved facilities mean proper training pitches for players. Sharing with other teams is not good. In England, they have the academies. In France, we have the centre de formation. Adapted training methods involve a progressive programme because what you do with kids between 13 and 15 is not the same as you do from 15 to17. Kids need coaching, they need to be shown how to do things, which is why we must have specialised coaches to produce good lemons.When a player makes the step-up into professional level usually at the age of 20 or even earlier, then the manager of the team has the right to squeeze the lemon dry. But it is the job of the youth coaches to produce a good lemon.
HOW AND HOW LONG
France's victories in the 1998 World Cup and the Euro 2000 were the logical culmination of a process that began with the foundation of an Institut National du Football (INF) in 1972. France lost to Norway in 1968, if I am not mistaken, and that defeat cost us a place in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. There was a crisis. Crises provide a fantastic opportunity to impose an overhaul, so the youth academies were made compulsory. After the (Michel) Platini generation, we struggled to produce results. France did not qualify for Euro 88. We realised we were lagging behind and there was a need to reduce the gap. When I became the French Football Federation (FFF) technical director just before 1990, our academies were not producing enough top class players.We had good, strong players but they lacked technical expertise and creativity, someone predictable like Franck Sauzee (former Sochaux, Marseille and France midfielder). The emphasis was pass and move and one touch football. Every club had a centre de formation for young players from the age of 16. What I did at Claire fontaine was set up a centre de preformation and took on 12- and 13-year-old kids. There was training every day, they went to school together, went home to their families on a Friday and played for a small team over the weekend so that were not uprooted. For three years they worked on three things - skills, skills and skills. Within three years, success was apparent - Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka,William Gallas and Jerome Rothen were the first generation to graduate. The future will involve working with players before they reach the age of 12. Between the ages of 12 and 15, the emphasis ought to be on skills, 15-17 is about technical and physical training before teaching the player stactical variations and working on their attitude.
BREAKING THE PATTERN
There were objections to the ideas. One particular famous French player told me to let the clubs have their own way. Later he was honest enough to tell me that it was a good job that I did not listen to him. We had to break the mental barrier in order to break the pattern. We were producing players but not enough top-class players. We realised when a player reaches the age of 15, his technical shortcomings will be difficult to compensate as he grows older. At the most he can improve is a maximum 20 per cent, which is certainly not good enough. So we had to change and take on kids at an earlier age. I was fed up on hearing pass and move or one-touch football. The truth was we needed to improve their skills, which is to teach them ball control. By controlling the ball better, there is less risk of injurybecause you don't have to fight for a loose ball because of your poor touch. Nantes were almost bankrupt but they won the league in 1995 by using homegrown products from their academy which included Patrice Loko, Nicolas Ouedec and Christian Karembeu. We had a difficult time in convincing the club the need to broaden their horizons and expose the players to international matches at an earlier age. Five players from the Euro 96 squad came through the programme at Clairefontaine. And talking about experience, I brought the French Under-20 team for theWorld Cup here in Malaysia. Among my players were Henry, David Trezeguet, Gallas, Mickael Silvestre and Willy Sagnol. Exactly a year later, Henry and Trezeguet converted their penalties in the quarter-final shoot-out against Italy in the World Cup. They could cope with the pressure having played against so many international teams in different environments at various age levels.
ASIAN PLAYERS
I have never coached an Asian player but when I made inquiries about them from five top coaches, they seemed to agree on a few facts. Their assets are their collective culture which means they are inclined to put the team's interest before theirs, very focused, possess the desire to do repetitive training to perfect their skills, good skills, quickfeet, enthusiastic, eager to learn and good work ethics. Some of the drawbacks are lack of football culture in the continent, tactical naivety, lack of power and strength and more of a player than a competitor which means they are content on playing than winning. Asian players in general work hard. They resort to repetition work to improve themselves. Some say Michael Owen is a gifted player. That may be true but he also worked hard to perfect his skills. In one particular match in 1999, Owen found himself in a one-to-one situation with Arsenal keeper David Seaman. The angle forced him to take the ball on his left but instead of shooting, Owen brought the ball back to his favoured foot. I told him with his pace, he will always find himself in such situations but he must learn to shoot with his left leg. From then onwards, he kept on kicking the ball with his left leg during training, and sure enough he scored crucial goals using his left foot, notably in the 2001 FA Cup final against Arsenal and the Super Cup against Bayern Munich. My advice to Asian coaches is to play to the highest level with the assets and strengths, avoid copying the Germans, the French or the Brazilians in totality. Don't copy, succeed with your own quality through vivacity, skills and movement and develop your own style, encourage individual initiatives, become more aggressive and send some early to European clubs.
MANAGING AT THE TOP
Football has evolved so much since I became a coach at Lens in 1982. It has become more complex. You cannot simply motivate with words. It takes talent to coach talent.There are four aspects of management at top level - profile of the coach, vision, mission and conclusion. Young players today are well-versed in the game as opposed to kids their age 20 years ago. As such you need to constantly update yourself. A coach must be a leader who is brave to confront rather than run from conflicts, and above all, care about his players. When we asked former players such as (Jean) Tigana and (Luis) Fernandez to name one coach they respected the most, to our surprise their answer was a 65-year-old coach who died last year in France. We were expecting names such as Aime Jacquet (1998 World Cup winning coach), Guy Roux (Auxerre) or Jean-Claude Suaudeau (former Nantes boss). And why the veteran coach? Because the coach cared. He would show concern on the players' welfare and family life. Alex Ferguson also made it a point to have a cup of tea with Eric Cantona every day during his eight-month suspension following the infamous kung-fu kick in 1995. A modern manager in Europe must possess the ability to manage and communicate with multi-cultural millionaires. He too must be a strategist who handles three teams. The team are divided into two, those who play and those who don't, plus the third team comprising the supporting staff. (Houllier, 58 on Sept 3, is bound for a job with Football FederationAustralia on a consultancy basis. He will spend a few weeks Down Under and then travel to Australia regularly to work with CEO, John O'Neill, John Boultbee, Ron Smith (former Sabah and Johor FC coach) and Frank Farina on looking at their systems).

Posted by rizal hashim to You'll Never Walk Alone in Malaysia at 24 September, 2008 14:19
%
* I know you like Volvo C30... that's why I find it fit to accompany your text. hihihi

LFC 2 - CREWE ALEXANDRA 1 (Carling Cup)





ok there was no live telecast. Thank God for that! But the fact that this minnows managed to convert 1 goal is still amusing to me. Ok... it wasn't Reina but our second keeper Cavalieri Diego. But we're playing in Anfield. It's supposed to be a fort, a bastion of sort where no opponent could muster any goals. This made Arsene Wenger's kid at Arsenal look so imperial with their 6-0 thrashing of Sheffield United and he had a 16 year old kid scored also!
Congrats to Agger. We missed you the whole season last term. And Lucas, I didn't know you can score goals at all. hahaha

23 September 2008

TO WATCH OR NOT TO WATCH... oh shakespeare... help me!


3am... against Crewe Alexandra. Is it worth it? hmmm... another dilemma. I have to be in the office at 9am (in fact, I have to... EVERYDAY! hahaha...). To watch would mean I gonna lose a lot of sleeping time. And during working hours, I doubt if I can find a proper place to sleep. I never sleep in the car. I would develop a stiff neck after a mere 30mins dozing off. That's dangerous. So... I think I let it go. After all, you guys ``encouraged'' me not to watch. Yeahhh with all those remarks... the not so important cup/ the game played by the reserves... yea yea... I catch your drift.
.
You guys must have been wondering what is the relevant of the Volvo C30 photo? Well... It's a new model from Volvo, obviously and I find it really cool. A small car for a Volvo? Since when? Surely you guys would agree. It is a nice looking car.

Michael Owen, once upon a time we love him so much... that was before he joined Real Madrid and made a U-Turn to the Toons...


utusanlfc, did you read about the gossip abt Liverpool being interested in Owen. It was mentioned in BBC's gossip column. A certain team that shares Liverpool's team is also interested. What do you think? Any possibility of seeing Owen in red again. If Benitez could take Fowler back, I am sure Owen is good for another 2 to 3 years (or more). And he'd be a good option to have too.

Above is a question posted by our good friend, myLFC to me. It was originally posted below but I believe Owen is a global issue that requires all of your inputs. And this is mine. A bit personal and emotional, you may say:
&
Owen is the very person to rejuvenate my interest and to rekindle my joy towards Liverpool Football Club in 1999. It was to coincide with the start of satellite tv era in Malaysia then. Before that, it was on-and-off situation. When there's a final showdown, so the news about it will fill the newspaper so most of us would be notified. The net then was still in its infancy. In fact, users like me were not well-versed at all, compare to now... hehehehe...
There was the magnificent goal scored by that 17-year old boy in the World Cup. And truly, his form carried onto Liverpool where his emergence toar apart the Spice Boys tag, led by one Mr Fowler and Mr Ince. The treble 2000/2001 season is one the most memorable win for me (and of you of course). Owen scored the double killer-goals against Arsenal in the FA Final. That was fantastic as they beat a team at their heights... (Owen didn't start in the UEFA and Carling Final).
Then we were introduced to a man from Spain, Mr Rafael Benitez. All of a sudden, there was a massive misunderstanding and chaos all over the club. Fans struggle to comprehend what pushed Gerrard and Owen to quit the club. The management managed to stop Gerrard but Owen were allowed to join Real. This is the beginning of the end for Owen and the Liverpool fans. Then there was a time when he almost rejoin Liverpool. It would be the same like Ian Rush returning from Juventus. A local son, finished doing his bid oversea and now are ready to return to the land.
Apparently, news prop out of the club exposing the attitude and the stand made by Owen against Liverpool. It was a total disappointment. Luckily, the needs for an out-and-out striker stopped last season when we found Fernando Torres. And at the same time, Owen was injury prone. He was not missed at all here in Anfield. It is unfortunate that it had to end like this.
So mylfc, you ask my vote if I want Owen to rejoin us (like Fowler...), I would say no to it. When we took Fowler, it was because Rafa was so deprived of money. He can't buy any good striker. At the moment, he has ample resources. If Rafa need a striker, obviously he doesn't need someone like Owen... a primadona and a past-tense superstar and injury-prone.
*
Well, what do you think? Guys, email me at official.liverpool@gmail.com and I shall post it as an article and not merely a posting. Then it would be fun. Can you do it?

CARLING CUP : LFC vs CREWE ALEXANDRA 3am/ 24 Sept 2008


When ever you're in doubt and zero-minded about your opponent, just google and go to wikipedia. The trusted site to find out (hahaha...) according to someone in NBC.

  • Crewe Alexandra Football Club are an English football team based at Gresty Road in Crewe, Cheshire, England and nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry.
  • The club was formed in 1877 and reputedly named after Princess Alexandra (some suggest that the decision to form the club was actually taken in a pub named after the Princess and the club was named after the pub). They currently play in the Coca-Cola League One.

So I mix it up with some facts I retrieve from liverpoolfc.tv :

  • The sides have met before in the League Cup. In 1990-91 Liverpool won 5-1 at Anfield in the First Leg of the Second Round. Ian Rush scored twice with Steve McMahon, Gary Gillespie and Ray Houghton also finding the net. John Barnes had a penalty saved by Dean Greygoose.
  • The Reds completed a 9-2 aggregate score by winning 4-1 at Gresty Road with Ian Rush scoring the first of his three League Cup hat-tricks for Liverpool. Steve Staunton netted the other goal.
  • The last time the sides met Liverpool won 4-0 at Crewe in the Third Round of the F.A. Cup. John Barnes, returning from injury, hit a hat-trick after Steve McManaman had opened the scoring. Liverpool went on to lift the trophy.
  • Liverpool have met tonight's opponents seven times in their history and have a 100% record scoring 33 and conceding three. Four of the meetings have been in the league.

Do you fancy we beat Crewe, the same way we thought we might eat Stoke? hihihi...

21 September 2008

ManYu 0 - ChelSi 0 (are we supposed to celebrate the outcome or curse our own silly draw?)


I opted to watch HBO alright. The movie entitled THE FREEDOM WRITERS, starring Hilary Swank. It was supposed to be a true story. About a determined teacher to overcome racial disparity in an Attica High School in LA. waaa... This is simply because there's no other better movie to watch and I have watch CSI:MIAMI. But I told my wife, this kind of movie is good. It is good because the theme is inspirational (I don't really bothered about the racial issue in it). A determined and committed teacher. Not only she had to handle the multiracial kids but also a serious resentment among her own peers - who are mostly senior than her. I would like to take it positively in my line of work i.e if you believe in what you're doing - do it whole-hearted and focus, and thou shall bear the fruit of your labour, be it in terms of material or spiritual, all will be blessed. The key word to be a successful and meaningful human being is : focus, committed, passionate and strong will at heart and mind. Sorry to bore you with the movie thing. hahahaha
%
Yaa... I decided NOT to be bothered with Man.U vs Chelsea game. Is it because I am lacking of interest in football? No. I just simply hate both of them and don't want to waste my precious evening on them. Suffice for me to switch the channel at 11pm just now to catch the highlights of the game. I saw the two goals and how Anelka floundered the golden ops. Typical former Liverpool player. hahaha

So the big question for all of us : should we celebrate the result and at the same time, cry about our own poor form? Hey by the way, Arsenal overtake not only LFC but also Chelsea to seat on top of the league after the 5th game. We're in 3rd place. Much better than No.15 for the defending champion. hahaha must be their worst start EVER! errr... No.15 looks so good on ManYu. Stay there please!

The thing inflicted upon us on Saturday night is a near-catastrophe but I stress it is not Armageddon laaaa... Dropping two points is a bit better than losing all three. Well who am I kidding? We should have won the game. If not for the stupeeed referee... So a draw is totally unacceptable. Not by our standard. As the league has proven for more than 3 years now, a point drop is a major issue. Especially when the league is 3 quarter into the game. That's when you find yourself gasping for points that you have lose unnecessarily in the beginning of the season. Ask Liverpool. That's what happened to them 3 seasons in a row. As of now, we won 3 and drew 2. Not that bad laaa. Still a long way to go. Another 33 games to be exact over 7 months. You and I would be a bit older by the time LFC become a champion in May 2009. And perhaps, we have a new Prime Minister also by then... HAHAHAHAHA

LFC 0 - Stoke 0 -- The inevitable becomes a hard reality to swallow

Sorry Gerrard. The goal that was disallowed. Only the ref knew what was the reason and he will answer it to all of us in his later life.

wow... kajang-today and mylfc wasted no time to register their dismay on the inevitable result in Anfield which saw Stoke City successfully parked its freaking bus in front of its goalpost. I was a bit different. To turn off my anger, I took my wife and my 2 daughters for a joy-ride into the city after the game at midnight). I'm test-driving a Isuzu D-Max Hi-Def (which is the latest face lift) and the petrol is full for me to roam 40km into KL city and another 40km coming back to Shah Alam. By the time we reach home at 1.30am, the kids are fallen asleep and me... well, a bit sober. hahaha
*
Like them and most of you, me too had a high hope for LFC to win (what ever margin... be it 3-0 or 1-0.. as long as you get the precious 3 points) and we thought as early as the 2nd minutes, Stoke will face the reality of the Premier League and playing LFC is gonna be one hell of a game. Instead, it was one hell of a defence set up by those Stokes (and there was one Salif Diao... our former midfielder... he must have been laughing and held a massive self-satisfying moment as revenge is met with Rafa and Co.)
a
So are we gonna be mad at the ref for disallowing Gerrard's 100th goal? We should, aren't we? According to The Sun :

Gerrard's free-kick sailed past Thomas Sorensen after just two minutes.
But referee Andre Marriner ruled out the effort as his assistant appeared to think Dirk Kuyt was in an offside position.
TV replays later proved otherwise and Benitez blasted: "The disallowed goal was a key decision. If that had been allowed it would have been a much more open game.
"I have no idea why the goal was disallowed. The referee told Jamie Carragher that it had been his decision, not the linesman’s.
“But it was a massive mistake and nobody knows why the effort was ruled out.”

We should curse the ref. Why shouldn't we. But is it gonna help to turn the course of the game? No. Is it gonna help our mental health? Definitely no. So what now?
My advice to all of you (and myself to a certain extend), just accept this lousy outcome as one of those days. Yes, we beat Man.U any other day, but we can't even score against the likes of Stoke City. We dropped points unnecessarily. Accept it as the fact of football. Then only we can evaluate and cherish our own jewel : The Liverpool Football Club - to the fullest.
a
Next game is against Everton. This gonna be as crunchy as Man.U. We hated Man.U more (at least for non Liverpool residents like me... so the derby actually doesn't make enough sense to me... c'mon, why must you be bothered with that small club? Man.U is the real treat. Not those so-called people's club...) But I must admit. The derby always create strange level of playing. I'm yet to have the stats, but the derby is one of the most YELLOW CARDED & RED CARDED game in the English Premier League. Almost everybody had their memories. Gerrard had it. He even substituted midway (a very very peculiar things to happen in this modern life).
a
So guys, let last night's folly be bygone. The game between Man.U and Chelsea is about an hour to go. I'm not sure if I want to watch it. I think I should. But I also tempted to watch HBO. hahaha

20 September 2008

Hyypia : You're STILL cherished, fully appreciated by us - LFC Fans

The FIFA rule is stinky, says Hyypia. Yeah we know. We agree with you.

Rick Perry is not a popular man in the club now. Not when he is seen to be on a collision course always with Rafa. We - the fans - tend to be bias towards Rafa, simply because Rafa is the manager and not the Chief Executive. However, in his own column featured in the liverpoolfc.tv a few days ago, I read with delight when Perry touch on the issue of Hyypia's cruel exclusion from the Champions League lists. Everybody is trying their hard to understand how in the world such a player of Hyypia's pedigree could be left out. Read below the piece by Perry:

  • Sami Hyypia received a tremendous reception when he appeared on the touchline to warm up during the United game. The fans were still clearly reflecting on the difficult decision to leave him out of our Champions League squad at this stage because of the new UEFA rule that makes us include at least eight homegrown players in a squad of 25.
  • Obviously the rule is starting to bite. First it was four players, then six and now eight. There are a number of Group games to play, but we also face a huge number of important Premier League matches.
  • Clearly, we now have a bigger squad that includes four centre-backs and I have no doubt that this was one of the things Rafa took into account because of Sami's Premier League experience and his suitability for a lot of very important matches in this area. It's also a situation that can be reviewed again in January.
  • It's a tactical decision rather than having anything to do with Sami. You have to make these painful decisions when new rules come into force. There is an increasing pressure internationally. FIFA have been talking about the 6 and 5 rule pointing to six homegrown players in every team which would be much more Draconian. There is talk about not allowing young players to move from one country to another below the age of 18. They would have to sign a contract with the club that trained them. It points to a lot more debate on issues like this.

I hope those lines won't be construed as just an excuse by the top brass. I would like to believe the whole scenario. Admittedly, age is not with Hyypia and we are relying more to his experience, his ability to read the games and to outmanoeuvred strikers with speedy legs than his. So Rafa have brought in the young guns in Skrtel, Agger, Arbelloa and of course, Carra is still 30 and still a Great Wall of China, in terms of defence. May be it is good for the future of our team. May be, if Hyypia thinks this is his last season with us - let it be the Glorious Season with us holding the Premier League Champion Cup.

Chelsea vs Man.U (Who do you want to win?... lets hope they draw hahaha)

It should be an interesting game between this two on Sunday. So who do you pick? The devil you know or the one you loathed? From the newspapers, some of the power-player will be fit i.e Ronaldo and Drogba. That should be mouth-watering encounter. But you guys, don't forget our own game tonight at 10pm on Channel 812. LFC against Stoke City.


Which one is Scolari and Gene Hackman?

This awful and tasteless photo was first published in a UK newspaper and I took it from the net. Just to point out our hatred towards his team.


utusanLFC :
such is our calm in meeting Stoke City tonight that we are more obsess to indulge in the other team's matches. hhihihi But I hope Stoke City won't make our life difficult. I should leave my office at about 9pm tonight. I should be home in 40mins. This allow me to clean myself before taking my sofa plus my drinks and all those foods at 10pm. oh ya.. I am working now (2pm to 10pm shift)

18 September 2008

Steven Gerrard's Top Five Goals

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard has scored a few top-class goals in his time, such as the second against Marseille in the Champions League last night -and they're often at the most crucial moments. Here's five of his best:

Personally, this goal against Olympiakos is the most memorable moment. LFC need not only to win but must gain the extra 3 goals to qualify. When Gerrard bazooka this goal, it was a step closer to our 5th Champions Cup in Istanbul.


By Telegraph staff Last Updated: 12:33AM BST 18 Sep 2008

5: LIVERPOOL 2-1 SOUTHAMPTON - 2001
There are almost too many goals vying for this place to choose from, but everyone loves a goal that rifles in off of the crossbar. Gerrard's 35-yard dipper did just that, leaving Paul Jones with no chance.
YouTube
4: LIVERPOOL 3-3 MILAN (3-2 on pens) - 2005
At half-time in the Champions League final, Liverpool were 3-0 down, and being given odds of 100-1 to recover. Gerrard single-handedly began the fight-back, frantically waving his arms, inspiring the crowd and exhorting cramp-stricken team-mates to screw their courage to the sticking place. Leading by example, he scored in the 54th minute, one of the most inspiring demonstrations of determination and belief in Champions League history. As Jamie Carraghe said: "The first goal gave us hope." While his header is not one of the most aesthetic goals in this list - its magnitude is unsurpassed.
YouTube
3: LIVERPOOL 1-1 MIDDLESBROUGH - 2005
Technically speaking, this goal against Middlesbrough is Gerrard's finest, sweetest strike. Chesting the ball down before firing a looping volley into the top corner from 35 yards, Gerrard's skill is there for all to see. However, because of the suspicious number of stunning goals that Gerrard has scored under the most pressing of circumstances, and because this goal lacked importance and only earned Liverpool a draw, it must be relegated to third place.
YouTube
2: LIVERPOOL 3-1 OLYMPIAKOS - 2004
Not only did this goal render Andy Gray almost speechless, an extraordinary feat in itself, it made Liverpool's Champions League victory in Istanbul possible, as victory by only one goal over Olympiacos would have left Liverpool out of the competition. Gerrard had already declared he was uninterested in the Uefa Cup as consolation, and as time ran out, the midfielder proved it by stepping up to fire home perhaps his most significant goal in a Liverpool shirt.
YouTube
1: LIVERPOOL 3-3 WEST HAM (3-1 on pens) – 2006
As AC Milan and Olympiakos have experienced, Steven Gerrard stiffens the sinews and scores his most scintillating goals at the most crucial of moments. Add West Ham to the list of those who have had triumph snatched away, against all odds, by the Liverpool captain. In the 2006 FA Cup final, West Ham were leading 3-2 at the end of normal play. Just as four minutes of extra time was announced, Gerrard pounced with a stock in trade driven strike from outside the area. Gerrard himself calls this his best goal ever – enough said.

utusanLFC :
This is one of the fine articles I love to share with all of you about our Super Captain
.

hey I managed to catch the repeat broadcast!

The most beautiful goal by Gerrard....
aa
The most consistent player - Mascherano and what happened to the player behind him? Flying? Falling?


Yes... the game was aired at 11 pm last night on the Malaysian satellite TV and I opted for it, instead of my favourite TV show - CSI: LAS VEGAS. And of course, I know now why all the news report describe Gerrard's goal as SUPERB and HIGHLY-TECHNICAL... as THAT IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN EXPRESSED IT!

And the best part was that all the goals (plus the conceded goal) were in the 1st half ... meaning I don't have to wait that long. hahaha

But above all, I still maintain that having Javier Mascherano in the middle is a masterstroke for Rafa. Having this LITTLE MONSTER roaming and guarding the middle kingdom, allowed Gerrard to play his natural game... albeit he was playing second fiddle to Torres. He can feed Torres or go for goal himself. And in the 1st goal, it was evident that Torres was the play maker that won the ball to allow Kuyt sling it to Gerrard before he done that final execution of the beautiful goal - to date in the UCL.

Still I can't help but need to ask... What really happened during Mascherano's spell in West Ham?


p/s After they got kick at the butt by LFC last Saturday, Man. U can only register a 0-0 draw against Villareal. Another point to make them mad at us... hahaha

Who and what is Stoke City F.C. (seriously I don't know them at all)


From the reliable (hahaha...) Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia which was supposed to be redirected from Stoke City official website... So this are some facts that I learn about this club:

Full name Stoke City Football Club
Nickname(s) The Potters Founded 1863 (as Stoke Ramblers) (Luckily not Harry Potter!)
Ground Britannia Stadium Stoke-on-Trent (Capacity: 28,383)
Chairman Peter Coates Manager Tony Pulis
League Premier League 2007–08
The Championship, 2nd(promoted)

Stoke City Football Club is a football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Founded in 1863, Stoke is the oldest club in the Premier League, and the second oldest professional football club after Notts County.
Stoke play their home fixtures at the Britannia Stadium, a 28,000 all-seater stadium. The stadium was opened in 1997; prior to this date Stoke had played at the Victoria Ground, which had been their home ground since 1878 (a record of 119 years currently shared with Wolverhampton Wanderers). The club's nickname is The Potters (after the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent) and its home kit consists of a red & white vertical-striped shirt with white shorts and white socks.
Prior to their 2008 promotion, Stoke had not participated in top flight football since the 1984-85 season, in which they were relegated with a total of 17 points, a record low total for twenty-one years. Stoke's first major trophy was won in the 1972 League Cup Final, when they beat Chelsea 2-1. The club have won the Football League Trophy on two occasions, firstly in 1992 and most recently in 2000.
7
Return to top flight football
Stoke City fans celebrate following promotion to the Premier League, May 4, 2008Stoke won promotion to the Premier League after a goalless draw with Leicester City on the last day of the 2007–08 season, which was enough to keep them in 2nd place of The Championship and earn automatic promotion. The promotion will earn Stoke £35 million for the 2008–09 season, and a minimum of £60 million over the space of three seasons. This will rise should Stoke retain their place in top flight football for more than one season.
Their first top flight match was at the Reebok Stadium where they were beaten by a dominant Bolton Wanderers team 3–1, with Ricardo Fuller scoring Stoke's only goal in the last minute. Following the result, bookmaker Paddy Power paid out on Stoke to be relegated after just one game. However, in their first Premier League home match, Stoke picked up all three points against Aston Villa in a close 3-2 win.
Stoke City best player is the goalkeeper, Steve Simonsen a.k.a Super Simmo.
&
&
utusanLFC : So you think our Liverpool players would find themselves a tough goalkeeper to beat in Stoke City? hehehe
**
Other familiar players to us :
  • Abdoulaye FAYE will be making his 100th appearance for an English club (Bolton, Newcastle and Stoke).
  • Tom SOARES will be making his 150th career league appearance (Crystal Palace and Stoke).
  • Carl DICKINSON will be making his 50th league appearance in a Stoke shirt.
  • Richard CRESWELL will be playing on his 31st birthday.
  • Jimmy PHILLIPS will be playing on his 19th birthday.
  • Salif DIAO will be facing a former club. The 31 year old Senegal international midfielder made 61 appearances (37 in the league) and scored three goals (one league) for Liverpool between August 2002 and his move to Stoke in January 2007.
  • Dominic MATTEO will be facing former colleagues. The 34 year old Scotland international defender made 155 appearances (127 in the league) and scored two goals (one league) for the Merseysiders from the outset of his professional career until signing for Leeds in August 2000.

17 September 2008

THEY ONLY SWAP PLACES...

PRIME MINISTER DATUK SERI ABDULLAH AHMAD BADAWI HAS RELINQUINSHED HIS FINANCE MINISTER I POST, AND APPOINTED HIS DEPUTY DATUK SERI NAJIB TUN RAZAK TO THE POSITION WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. ABDULLAH WILL TAKE OVER THE DEFENCE MINISTRY PORTFOLIO FROM NAJIB. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE IN PUTRAJAYA TODAY.
.
utusanLFC :
aiyyoooooo.... why can't you just step down and let someone else take over the premiership and if this are the issues both of you have been talking all this long, you guys agreed only to swap and doesn't met any of the people's expectation. PLEASE... STEP DOWN! STEP DOWN! YOU HAVE FAILED ALL OF RAKYAT MALAYSIA ASPIRATION. PLEASE STEP DOWN PAK LAH!

Olympique de Marseille 1 -STEVEN GERRARD 2

8







I held my ground and fought to the last minute but had to surrender at 2.15am as my eyes couldn't bear anymore. So I sleep. hahaha...
I shall watch the repeat tonight. Or I'll just watch the highlights. hey... after drowning Man.U last Saturday, I'm not missing much. After all, which one is more thrilling? Shooting off Man. U or Marseille? Of course Man.U give us more satisfaction.
hahaha simply to justify my failure to watch the game.

EVA MENDEZ IS A KOP?

EVA MENDEZ IS A KOP?

The GOLDEN Team of Kenny Daglish

The GOLDEN Team of Kenny Daglish
If we have them now, say farewell to Arsenal, Man.U and Chelsea... if...