LFC 3 - Bolton 2

1. oh ok. It's already a bit late for me to comment on the game. Well, as soon as the game finished last Saturday, I had to drove my family to Perak. Just returned this afternoon. To think it back now, it was a relief. Because if LFC lost, my father-in-law would have a great-day in mocking me...
   
   
2. As I sat now typing... one Bolton player remain fresh in my mind. Muamba. This fella's main and only responsibility is to shadow, taunt and haunt Steven Gerrard. He did it rather quite well for .... 50mins? Only after Bolton was left with 10 players and Big Sam had to alter his game plan that Muamba was reshuffled to a traditional fullback position and only then we all saw Gerrard was some kind... liberated. Funny but that was when Gerrard unleashed the 2 much sought-after winning goals... though in a few minutes during the injury time, at least 4 Liverpool players were guilty of making fun of the home fans. They were playful and some one should have just shoot it but they opted to play it one by one until it was intercepted... much to my anger and a soft x-rated speeches in front of the TV...
   
   
3. What is happening at the back? Carra+Skrtel = collision. Carra+Greek = almost lost the ball. But both combination resulted in 4 goals... if that is not alarming enough? What is?
   
   
4. hmmm... can't wait for Burnley game. It seems that every body is cautious nowadays when they meet this newly promoted team. After they humiliated Manchester United, nobody wants to be in the same category... at least not this soon. hahaha
   
   

RAMADAN & FOOTBALL : FROM THE WESTERN POINT OF VIEW

From time to time, I republished a specific articles that interest me. This one is related to Ramadan, Muslim players and how they are perceived by the Non-Muslims management. Read it all. I extracted it from the TIME magazine. - Jo

Sulley Muntari could be said as successful during his spell in Pompey. If not, Jose Mourinho wouldn't want to sign him, right?



Soccer Star Benched for Fasting During Ramadan
By Jeff Israely
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009

1. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which falls on different dates of the Western calendar each year, began on Aug. 21 in 2009, just in time for another event in Europe with near religious significance: the kickoff of soccer season. But the timing has sparked controversy in Italy, where in the past four days both a prominent coach and a team owner in the top Serie A league have linked the rigors of Ramadan's sunrise-to-sunset fasting to Muslim players' poor performance on the pitch.
   
   
2. Just 30 minutes into his team's disappointing 1-1 tie Sunday with Bari, Inter Milan's Portuguese-born coach Jose Mourinho pulled midfielder Sulley Muntari, a practicing Muslim, out of his home debut. "He was clearly struggling," Mourinho said of the 25-year-old Ghanaian player during the postgame press conference. "It's the month of Ramadan, and that's what affected his performance, which is why I took him out."
   
   
3. A top Muslim leader in Italy, Mohamed Nour Dachan, lashed out at the coach of the defending Serie A champions. "I think Mourinho should talk a little bit less," Dachan, president of the Italian Union of Islamic Organizations, told Sky Italia television. "We know from sports medicine that the mental stability of an athlete lets him give so much more on the field, and a player observant in Christianity, Judaism or Islam definitely has a very tranquil psychology."
   
   
4. On Tuesday evening, Aug. 25, the outspoken owner of the Rome-based Lazio club added to the polemics, saying he makes a point of avoiding the "problem" of Ramadan. "I respect religious freedom and the ways that it is expressed," Claudio Lotito told reporters after a meeting of Serie A officials in Milan. "But I try to prevent things that can slow down training and the playing of matches. I've never bought players that have this problem."
   
   
5. Italy's sports pages duly took note of other Muslim players who observe Ramadan with varying degrees of strictness, including Siena's Abdel Kader Ghezzal, an Algerian who scored a goal against AC Milan on Saturday. Though a practicing Muslim, Ghezzal says he does not fast on training and game days during Ramadan. Inter's Muntari is more observant, though he reportedly ate pasta at lunch on Sunday, while refusing water before the match.
   
   
6. Most imams say there are just a few groups of people exempted from the daytime fast, including pregnant women, the sick and the elderly. Though the Koran doesn't cite any excuses based on profession, as with all other religions there are Muslims who are more and less observant of the letter of the law, with the requirements of their jobs sometimes playing a role.
   
   
7. Stefano Tirelli, the Milan-based personal trainer for Muntari and several other top soccer stars from Africa and the Middle East, says that depending on the playing conditions and the individual, lack of food and water can limit performance. He recalls his experience working for the United Arab Emirates and Qatar national teams, which featured less robust players in 100°F (40°C) heat, saying their speed and stamina were indeed affected by the Ramadan fast. But Tirelli, a professor of integrated sports technique at Milan's Catholic University, warns against reducing athletic performance to a series of statistical charts. "It's right that we respect the values of science," he says. ""But mental strength, determination and, yes, religious force, for one month's time, can easily overcome the deficit in proper nutrition."
   
   
8. Italian journalist Massimo Donaddio noted in the daily Il Sole 24 Ore that Saudi Arabia's coach, at the recent World Athletics Championships in Berlin, declared that his athletes would strictly follow the Ramadan fast during the competition. The Saudis won exactly zero medals, writes Donaddio — but then, so did the Italians.
   
   or click here :
   http//www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1919106,00.html
   

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Easy route

1. We expected a Dutch and French team to join us in our Champions League group and half of that wish was fulfilled when the draw was over about 1 am this morning.
   
   
2. Lyon and Fiorentina are likely to threaten our chance of qualifying to the knockout round while Hungarian minnows Debrecen are making their Champions League debut.
   
   
3. We are playing all three clubs for the first time in the Champions League, with the Reds embarking on the road to the Santiago Bernabeu Final at Anfield; to Debreceni VSC on September 16 before travelling to Fiorentina on September 29. The rest of the dates are: Lyon (October 20; home and November 4; away); Debreceni VSC (November 24; away) and Fiorentina (December 9; home).

Glen Johnson's £139k per week salary. Wow... how?

Of course you'll be flying with that kind of salary!...

1. Do you wonder if I am amazed at the salary Glen Johnson is taking home per week that is £139,000... I think surely every one of us should. That would make him among the top tiers players in Anfield that received such a hefty amount.
   


2. The sum must make him the best paid full back in the world - even after Chelsea defender Ashley Cole agreed a new £120,000-a-week deal to stay at Stamford Bridge. Even Manchester City, who have spent an incredible £118 million on players this summer, will pay latest signing Joleon Lescott only a reported £94,000 a week.
   


3. The one important question that belies the whole deal between Liverpool Football Club and Glen is that : does he merit that amount? He did scored one goal but I must say, he is yet to show his real value for the club. I don't want to be bothered with the news reports which mainly insinuated that LFC paid such a high salary simply to beat Chelsea for Glen's signature. That would be a lousy excuse to do such a business.
   


4. We the fans, wouldn't be that pissed-off if the club pay such amount for a proven striker or effective midfielder. Post-Villa debacle, I surely don't need this kind of news. I hope Glen can prove his overprice salary in the Bolton game. It's not an option. It's a must.
   
   

LFC 1 - Villa 3

1. It was a sucker punch. LFC controlled the game but failed to finish off Villa accordingly. Thus the crazy margin. It could be one of the highest deficit we're registering in this season.
   
   
2. O'Neill had his men 11 of them in front of the goal post and go for counter-attacked. It worked well. As for LFC, every thing was done according to the plan but failure to convert were the reason.
   
   
3. And Lucas Leiva had a mixed game. I think he did well for the first 30 minutes. Then he returned to his lousy performances. And that is all I want to write for the moment.

LFC vs Aston Villa (4-0 anyone?)

This Aston is more frightening and entertaining than the other Aston that we'll face tonight!

1. AT almost the same time last year, Aston Villa were doing what Spurs are doing now. They were vicious and winning a lot. But as everybody know now, Villa lost its steam at the end of last year, and succumb to a heavy defeat and eventually had to swallow some serious words... you know, those words about becoming ANOTHER BIG FOUR... similar like Spurs now. hmmm...
   


2. That's why also I don't really alarmed with Spurs. Regardless with the fact that they did beat Liverpool on the first game of the season but there is no way Spurs have that quality to break THE BIG FOUR. Though I might think otherwise about Manchester City. This is a Chelsea in the making. They got themselves some really heavy weights within their rank.
   


3. Coming back to Aston Villa. The game is at 3am (Malaysian time) and if not because of my flexi-hour (I checked-in at 3pm every day!), I surely won't be able to watch the match. And I surely will watch the match. This is Ramadan. As soon as the game finished and we won the game (hehehe...be optimistic will ya!) I can go take my morning supper which is called SAHUR (this is for the benefit of my non-Muslim readers).
   
   
4. Aston Villa were lousier than us in terms of early showing this season. They lost 2 Premier game & 1 UEFA. Since Villa is not a darling to many press like they do towards Man.U or Arsenal, no one is trying to say that ``Liverpool might be beaten by the resurging Villa'' or something along that line. The bias UK media knows very well that Liverpool is definitely on the right track to down Villa at its will. 4-0 anyone?
   
   
   

Much ado about Lucas Leiva. Man of The Match? I didn't know about it!

Remember his red card during the Everton FA Cup replay match? One of the contributing factor for our short-live walk across the Stanley Park and back...

1. Not many Malaysian managed to watch the match between LFC against Stoke City. Even our friends at the Cobra Club only secured the stream through Internet after two goals were scored. And amazingly, this was the game where Lucas Leiva was hailed as MAN OF THE MATCH! hahaha... and not many here could believed it too!
   


2. After a bad display in the match against Spurs, many of us were left frustrated with his game and of course, the echo could be heard all around the LFC domain in the whole world. And during the introduction of Kyrgiakos, Rafa took a swipe at those who - according to him, the so-called expert - for criticizing Lucas to the core.
   


3. Rafa wishes that us - the fans, to stop using Lucas as an easy target. He claimed that some of the pundits were a bit shy to do so with the more senior players.
   
   
4. oh c'mon Rafa... that's not correct. We say it out loud when we were depressed with Voronin's pony-hair. It's not true that we only pick on those younger boys. The only real reason we wrote about our dismay towards Lucas is nothing more than the fact that he'd played like a freaking baboon in the Spurs match. That's all. We don't have time to be choosy in condemning the non-performing-players in your squad. Hell, we even do the same if the manager is not applying a correct tactic.
   

Lets welcome Sotiris Kyrgiakos!

1. I'm a bit belated to blog about Sotiris Kyrgiakos. Yesterday was a day you and I had a loud-day in mocking and teasing and condemning Manchester United fans. BURNED-LY! BURNED-LY! hihihi... I just downloaded the address of Burnley web site onto my facebook.
   
   
2. At first, we understand Kyrgiakos (kir-gia-koz) was not those 5-star studded players that were in our dream team quest. We understood that due to the `crack at the back' mainly because of injuries incurred by our senior players i.e Agger, Skrtel and Carra himself... and since the club already sold off Arbeloa... Rafa had to find a replacement.
   
   
3. Many of us might have thought that he would find some one from the Spain. Some one who could cost the company a fortune. Nonetheless, Rafa never failed to surprise us. Who would've guess that Rafa would go for a Greek player, 30 years old of age - and become our stalwart at the back. A friend asked me just now, is Kyrgiakos any good? I said (nonchalantly)... I don't know but if Rafa say so, I guess so lah.
   
   
4. I shall not write any more about his background. All of that you can find it yourself in the Internet. I know that he is a tall chap and a body structured like an ancient Greek warrior... a prerequisite requirement to be a successfull fullback in the Premier League. On the same note, now we have a total of 4-5 different countries represented in the fullback line-up. Carra is English or Scouser. Skrtel is a Slovak. Agger is a Danish. May be he has those Vikings blood? And now, Kyrgiakos - a Greek Gladiator.
   
   
5. For a £3 million pounds, some might say we got him at a bargain price. I say, we would only know about it when the season ends, not at the start. Similarly when Gerard Houllier acquired Samy Hyppia 10 years ago. He was an unknown entity in England but hey... look what he has become now. A legend among the Kops. Hopefully, the same unknown entity from Greece could emulate Hyppia, though I doubt it at 30 years old he could make that a big impact or not. But... until then.
   

SIR ALEX JUST REALISED HOW LOUSY MICHAEL OWEN IS...

1. Owen is not Ronaldiva. Definitely not Tevez. Above all, he was a scouser, who knew very well he shouldn't be joining the scum. But he did. He could have join many other outfits, namely Hull City or Burnley...
   
   
2. According to news report, he squandered one too many chances in front of the goal. Bad news to Man.U. A burning reality for Sir Alex that Owen would be one of his most lousy player. And someone would be writing in the future that the hidden agenda for Owen's so-called betrayal in joining Man. U is actually a secret weapon to ensure Liverpool beat them this season. What a dream. hahaha...
   


3. This is the early Owen bashing from this blog. Watch for more.... soon!
   

LFC 4 - Stoke 0 (& Well Done BURNLEY !!!)

First goal. 4th minutes. How I longed to see Torres score.

And the after-goal celebration is always RIOT!

wow... looks like Crouch is not the only one who can score using the bicycle-kick technique... Good show Glen!

This man, will be vital to our quest... Mr Kuyt. Mark my word. (Sorry no David Ngog picture... later)

1. Should I be agitated? Or rejoiced? I didn't get to watch the game. It wasn't shown in my satellite TV, though Khan suggested we should go online. So I decided to hang around with my mates til 2am, then come home to read a few pages and sleep before 3am. Woke up a few minutes ago, and it was a brilliant score! To add to that fact, Manchester United lost to a lowly-newcomers Burnley.
   
   
2. And Tombiruo made sure he came here very early in the morning to state that `the season is still early''. huh... yaaa Tombiruo. What ever. At least I was grace full when my team lost. I didn't say anything along that line. I admitted Spurs was the better side. So you don't agree Burnley was the better side last night? Or you agree with Jose Morinho's famous quote `the better team didn't win last night''?... hahaha
   
   
3. Now lets get back to OUR own team (and let Tombiruo to asses his own wound). According to the score sheet, all the important players scored, Torres, Johnson and Kuyt including the no-so-highly-rated at the moment - David Ngog. You know what, I went in to the liverpoolfc.tv and picked the box 4-0 in the likeliest scoreline. And I am delighted to be right on the spot! Someone should have pay me! hahaha
   
   
4. Okay for all those doomsayers, lets reconciled now. Albeit, the result can be contested in a higher court of jury... because the distractors would say Stoke City is not in the same class with LFC but this nuggets did came away with 1 points each in their home-away match against us last season. They were known then as a `bus company'. It seems Rafa found a way to beat the bus system.
   
   
5. But again, the win last night, still doesn't diminished my pissing-off at Babel, Lucas and Voronin. Apparently, Lucas is still very much in Rafa's plan. He played the whole game. Voronin was on in the 81st minutes and Babel was not in the list. Rafa knows Babel was so lousy in the Spurs game.
   
   
6. And now shall we get back to our next important business? You know... to mock and tease the hell-out of Manchester United fans for their ``beautiful match'' against Burnley? hey... Man.U got BURNED laaa...and Sir Alex was well-done! hahaha...

AAAaarrgghhh... NO LIVE TELECAST TONIGHT!!!!

The only sure thing is this fella will be on TV giving his opinion about french fries. Check out his blog at http://rizalhashim.blogspot.com/. And if any of you heard anything that he say that might construed as an assault, insult, cynical or anything like that, pertaining to the subject of Liverpool FC, please write to me. I will not hesitate to start a dedicated space to bash him. By the way, Rizal is a good friend. So I know, he won't sue me... hehehe

1. No. I have checked twice. ASTRO is choosing the UEFA qualifying games. I don't think watching the game online would be any good for my mental and health condition. For the monopoly satellite TV provider in the nation, they think they know best for us. They've just increased our monthly sports channel subscription for another RM12 and yet, they show us matches that doesn't interest us that much. ASTRO should have shown The English Premier League. To be specific, Liverpool match against Stoke City tonight. ASTRO must be taught a lesson in handling a monopoly business.
   


2. Unfortunately, Vincent Tan tried with his TV but to no avail as ASTRO signed an exclusive country broadcaster with the respective content provider i.e ESPN will not allowed the matches to be shown by multiple TV station. That's why Vincent Tan's MiTV is going nowhere. Regardless of that, the one opportunity to give ASTRO a run for its money, all of us must find a way. Let's write a petition or something.
   


3. And better, we write a petition to Rafa Benitez to sale Lucas Leiva, Voronin and Babel.

Now Barca wants Reira. What if we offer you Lucas & Babel?

Nice photo for advertisement purposes. If only Reira could be a little bit lethal on the pitch...

1. The closing date for the transfers market is another 2 weeks, regardless if many of the nation's respected league already started and first European Cup qualifying round will be tonight. That's why there's a new story propping all over the UK newspaper quoting `unnamed sources' from Catalan saying that since Barca failed to get Javier Mascherano, they are now turning to Albert Reira. Like what I have written in my analysis recently, it seems that the Spanish clubs are trying to take back all of its son of the soil players. At the time of my writing, there's yet any respond from Anfield. Surely they will deny it. Or Reira is roaring to go?
   


2. I didn't bother to read the sports news yesterday. It was Monday, I need to avoid reading things that might destroy my mood for the whole week. It's a science of emotion. hahaha. That's why I didn't know Rafa was criticizing the ref for not allowing two penalty appeals. Well, what ever. I say Tottenham deserved the win.
   


3. But it's as almost predictable, the football commentators and pundits alike, are focusing on one aspect that caused the Liverpool first defeat in their first game of the season : The departure of Xabi Alonso. I wanted to believe it, not simply because the articles were written nicely but it was obvious that Alonso's absence has weaken our midfield and couldn't support the front liners i.e Gerrard & Torres.
   


4. Mascherano did well but remember, he is just one of the puzzle in our previous amazing midfield. Alonso fits them all. Now with that lousy Lucas, the midfield is a huge empty space that has turned to be a playground for our opponents to run riot!
   


5. I am so disillusioned with Babel. He ought to go now. I don't know if Rafa has the same sentiment. Because Rafa tend to be the opposite when we talk about a bullshit player. He will protect his chosen player and hold on to him, what ever the fans said. Well, that's good. If the player is good. The lousy bad ones, just let them go. Starts with Babel, Lucas and Voronin.
   

Tottenham 2 - LFC 1

1. We lost. I'm not alarmed. Even though the trend is that the serious contenders for the champion spot must not lose too much. Hmmm... Man.U lost 4 games and still won the league. hehehe... No. I shall not try to pacify myself nor justify what is a pathetic result for us.
   


2. I have learned how to appreciate things when in a losing situation. That's what make a man becomes a real man. You respect your opponent's capability and perhaps, learn from the mistakes and when Tottenham come to visit Anfield, that's the time to show what you have learned, teach them back!!! And I must say, Tottenham fullbacks were really impressive.
   


3. So impressive that they were the ones who won the game, not the strikers. Robbie Keane had three open chances to score but he replicate his failure during his short spell in Anfield tonight. Both of the goals were from set-pieces and was won even before the tallest man were introduced. Harry Redknapp's approach is a pure football recipe. Get tall lanky guys as your fullback and may be a bit of a skill too would be a bonus and during the set-pieces, get them in the opponent's box... then you'll get the result. It's a simple, pure football formula.
   


4. But what about Liverpool? Aside from that sudden dashed from Glen Johnson... well.. he was anonymous most of the time. The worst would be Babel. Oh my God! He kept on losing the ball and can't even deliver a descent pass. Until the time of writing now, I still can't remember or memorised what was the system used by Rafa. Why must he changed things that has been proven last season? What's with having Gerrard playing almost every where on the pitch? Aren't Kuyt supposed to be our reliable right winger? Glen obviously need more time to adapt to the playing style. hmmm.... I shall not crucify my team simply because of one defeat. We keep it for later if we don't win against Stoke City...
   


5. As I said earlier, I'm not alarmed with our first lost on our first game of the season. I'm sure we'll improve and forget about this game. Supporting Liverpool over the years has cost me not only my sanity and financial ability but also taught me to be a modest man. The team is not infested with primadonas, not a favourite to many sports news editor and the younger generation prefer not to be associated with a team so-called `the greats of the past'. But I will not changed a bit. I've just renewed my LSCM membership last Friday. I paid my dues to the club. And I'll keep on blogging about this team. No matter what. That's what a loyal fan is supposed to do.
   


6. And now lets find a way to withstand all the mockery, teasing and banting tomorrow from our office mates...
   
   

Peter Crouch, Robbie Keane. Do we fear them?

The alumnus of Portsmouth will be fighting each other tomorrow. Glen... you can stop Defoe, aren't you?

1. My own personal opinion is : NO. The ones that we should be weary of is the one who has the speed, small in sizes and cunning in fooling the defenders. I am referring to Aaron Lennon. Why the heck didn't Rafa buy him, is another mystery to me. May be Rafa simply don't believe in small size winger. Or didn't believe any English winger for that matter, post-Pennant fiasco.
   


2. According to some analysts, just as his career at White Hart Lane seemed to have stalled, Aaron Lennon kicked into overdrive midway through last season to re-establish himself as one of the most exciting young talents in the Premier League. The England man could have an interesting tussle with inexperienced, yet similarly promising, Insua.
   


3. Another danger would come from Jermaine Defoe. Scoring a brace in the friendly match against Holland a few days ago, must have a massive boost on Defoe determination. To me, Defoe is one of the similar character of Lennon in the Hotspur squad. Funny is that - Hotspur this season is comprised of Portsmouth alumnus, one former Liverpool favourite and one Liverpool reject. And you know pretty well whom I am referring to.
   


4. I still have that sentimental feeling towards Crouch and together with majority of the LFC fans, we do sympathised on his plight. He was rudely forced to quite the team, even though he's performances as the second striker has improved behind Torres. Remember the triple game against Arsenal a couple of seasons ago and he was chosen to start the middle game and he scored that beautiful goal from outside the penalty box... As a human being, I try to comprehend if he will try his deadliest best to score against Liverpool tomorrow night. As a fanatical fan of Liverpool, I'll say Mr Carra will stopped him good.
   


5. As for Keane - the love has never been there. The courting period was too brief to reach that vital blossom phase. hahaha... He managed to score the last Hotspur goal against Liverpool last season but again, Skrtel will scruple his effort.
   


6. Of course, there were news report about the concerned on Carra & Skrtel's fitness if they could play in the first game of the season in The White Hart Lane. I say it's all propaganda. Both of them will surely start the game. And will thwart all the attacks by the Tottenham and win the game for Liverpool.
   
   
7. What else would I say? Go for a draw? It's unacceptable thing this season. Utterly unacceptable! Bear in mind, we have Torres and Gerrard. Be very scared. Very. Very...
   
   

THE LAST FUTSAL MATCH OF THE SEASON!!!

The attendees during our last match of the season! The photo is a bit blur. It wasn't taken by me. So please pardon my mates. The Torres-look alike is on the 1st row wearing red shirt with white stripe (in front of no 13 fella - Mr Khai). No it's not Arsenal's jersey. It's a LSCM's shirt!

1. Last night match was the last futsal game for the season... a week before Ramadan (Islamic calendar means the fasting month). This could be translated as a 2 months of break and the resumption of the match, would only be in the middle of October! Of course, it depends very much on the availability of the regulars by then!
   
   
2. The futsal pitch is situated very close to my home in Seksyen 7, Shah Alam. At first it was more like the assembly of fellow neighbours. But as time goes by, we saw the likes of new friends from the neighbouring housing area joining us. Then they brought in their friends and colleagues and relatives. We have buddies coming all the way from Klang, Kelana Jaya and Bukit Jelutong. Places which took at least 20-30 minutes drive to reach our place. But hey... in the name of recreation, who cares! As long as you can play and willing to play according to `house rules', you're in !!!
   
   
3. The match is fixed on Saturday night. That's why my chosen off-day usually on Friday. So that I don't have to rush home from work and missed the 1st hour of the game! Sometimes it become addictive. Well, in my case... I found myself stopped riding my bike. Simply because the nearest off-road area close to my house, is now a housing development project. No more jungle, no more hills. It has been flattened. I'm a bit lazy to drive and carry my bike to a specific place. That's the reason the bike is immobilised now. That's why also futsal is the only sport activity left for me to join.
   
   
4. The remarkable fact is that majority of the buddies are the same generation with me. The pace, the shooting, the defending, attacking and the tackles are in sync with my stamina. Though there are a few youngsters (below 30's) and most of the time, they are the ones who gives us some thrill in the sense of we have to be more vigilant and aggressive in our play.
   
   
5. Regardless of that, I must stressed that most of the time, the match was played in a jolly and cordial mood. There's always massive teasing going around, with an annoying `live commentators' from outside the pitch. And there were aggressions and tensions. Luckily, everyone of us are matured and when we left the pitch, all those negativity were left inside the pitch. Then 5 or 6 of us would proceed to the nearest restaurant to wind down... usually with ice tea and fried noodles!!!
   
   
6. Then we'll chat away for at least another 2 hours. Like tonight, I got home at about 2.30am. I'm still alive and awake because I didn't really play my hearts out tonight, though I had a silly confrontation with the opposite defender. He pissed me off because he held my hand when he found himself losing the ball, claiming he was hand-ball! I could have scored then... But then we make up. I mentioned the house rules, so that's what I meant. The house rules is that we can make up any rules just to deny the opposition advancement. Every time the ball hits some one's stomach, someone will shout `hand ball'. We don't really comply to the FIFA ruling. If we do, we won't last for 30 minutes because the pace would be intolerable!
   
   
7. Just in case, do not bother to challenge me and my buddies for a futsal match. Because I had a bad experience participating in a tournament or a serious friendly. I hurt my leg and it took me 5 weeks to fully recuperate. You want to play with me, come to Seksyen 7, Shah Alam in October. Actually, I fancy myself to be Carragher! hahaha... I've always play in the defending position and I can be as effective as Carra when I focused my game as to not allow any opposition players to shoot the ball in the first place. wow... for a mid-30's fella, I surely have a strong conviction of my own ability! hahaha just kidding. Ok I got to sleep now.
   
   

MATCH PREVIEW #1 : TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (Sunday 11.59pm)

READY TO RUMBLEEEEE...... !!!!!

1. Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane are determined to show their old boss Rafa Benitez what he is missing when Tottenham entertain Liverpool in their opening day Barclays Premier League fixture at White Hart Lane this Sunday. Benitez sold both strikers to Spurs counterpart Harry Redknapp with Crouch heading to Portsmouth last summer and Keane dramatically sold back after an agonising six-month spell at Anfield as the England international's £20million replacement.
   


2. Unlike Alonso, both of them could be categorised unlucky. Crouch especially, has shown a tremendous development in his game and a favourite of the fans - prior to Fernando Torres's arrival. The only problem with having Crouch is that, Liverpool game is easily read by the opponents. You can't stop Crouch from receiving the high-ball in the penalty box, you might do better if you can stop the delivery in the first place. May be the long-ball has been too long associated with Liverpool. Even during Owen-Heskey era. Crossed the ball to Heskey who will bring down the ball to Owen who then convert it. Similar with Crouch, he either passed it to others or score himself.
   


3. While we can examined the effectiveness of Crouch and the dilemma he faced due to Rafa's strategic preferences... it's a bit weird when it concerns Keane. I must say he failed during his short stay. And his failure prompted Rafa to let him go. Unfortunately, Keane and his sympathisers refuse to see from that point of view. During the injury period endure by Torres, it was Keane on the front line but he failed to replicate his Tottenham performances in Anfield. Thus the lowly 7 goals in 28 games. In the last encounter last season, Keane scored scored against Liverpool and had a hard time walking back to the centre line... You know he usually have a nutty goal-celebration like shooting the guns but just walking with a difficult face showed everything. He should have scored more when he was with LFC. Of course the funnier side of that sorry-saga was that Rafa didn't get any replacement for Keane. Rafa chose to rely on the new kids. Oh my God!
   


4. And we still don't have a second reliable striker until now. I saw the headlines proclaiming that Hertha Berlin is asking for the resumption of season-loan contract with Voronin. hmmm... I don't know. If Rafa wishes so, at least find another experience striker before he let Voronin go. Without Voronin, the ones that left are all juniors. David Ngog and El Zhar. Last season, Gerrard was used as the supporting-striker (when ever both of them were eligible & fit). But in the absence of Alonso, I have a strong notion that Rafa will return Gerrard to his natural habitat.
   


5. It's good that we have a strong team for our first game. If we win - which we will, that will be a strong signal to the rest that Liverpool's last season momentum is carried on to this season and that would spell - DANGEROUS to other clubs. I sincerely hope so.
   
   

Now Fabregas is wanted by Barcelona. Arsenal will go down without him...

life is like a bottle of sweets. if you're darn good, there will be lots of ants...

1. Are we being lured back into the 17th century war between the Spanish armada against the English? The English club has been raided massively. Real Madrid came with money bigger than Chelsea to grab Ronaldiva. Then that team bought Kaka... among other names, including our own 2 players, namely Alonso and Arbeloa.


2. The latest news is that Barcelona will not be left out and are trying their best to pry Fabregas back to Nou Camp. wowseeee!... No report as yet to be found on how Arsene Wenger would react. The Frenchman knew very well, he'll lose Fabregas - say goodbye to Top Four finish. Fabregas is the only influential player in the squad made of young boys. Remember, Adebayor & Toure left the Emirates already.


3. Should we be worried? Naaa... But as I have mentioned before, Liverpool have another 2-3 valuable Spanish origin players and definitely the Spanish clubs are eyeing for them if not now, surely next season. I doubt if they would dare to steal Fernando Torres from Anfield. Not until someone is better than Torres could be found to replace him, which is none!
   
   
4. What a huge distraction!

Oliver Kay's article bashing Rafa (Read all about it, here!)

August 11, 2009
Critics one-sided in Rafael Benitez debate
by Oliver Kay (The Times)

1. So, Rafael Benitez is at it already, is he? Bleating about transfer money before the season has even begun? Getting his excuses in first? This from the man who has spent £230 million in five years at Liverpool, and still has not won the Premier League title!


2. Sorry about that. There is an unwritten rule that you are allowed to tell only one side of the story when analysing Benitez’s record at Liverpool, so it seemed only right to start in that vein. While we’re at it, Benitez blew their hopes of the Premier League trophy last season by ranting at Sir Alex Ferguson, refusing to pick Fernando Torres, selling Robbie Keane and insisting on zonal marking at corners. Of course he did.


3. Benitez is not without his idiosyncracies, but to judge from some of the reactions to my Final Word column yesterday and to a couple of comments he made in which he was vague about the funds the club’s owners were making available to him, you would think he was the one who was responsible for Liverpool’s various ills.
   
   Thrifty summer could cost Liverpool
   


4. Someone e-mailed me yesterday with a list of Benitez’s 83 signings as Liverpool managers, listing six as successes and 77 as flops. Given that the flops included players such as Fabio Aurelio (first-choice left back signed on a free transfer) and Dirk Kuyt (£9m, vastly underrated) as well as nine home-grown players who have come through the youth academy, as well as the admittedly terrifying number of teenagers the club imported from abroad, you might say that the list was rather skewed.


5. Clearly, Benitez has made a number of dodgy signings. At right back alone, you can list Josemi, Jan Kromkamp and Philipp Degen. Further forward there have been Antonio Nunez, Mark Gonzalez, Sebastian Leto, Fernando Morientes, Craig Bellamy and, of course Keane, none of whom lasted more than 18 months.


6. But these are not the names that define Benitez’s success or failure at Anfield. He likes to wheel and deal, far more than is normal for a manager at a club of Liverpool’s size, but it is beyond dispute that his net outlay of £85m over the past five years (£230m spent, £145m recouped) has brought a huge improvement in a team and a squad that came within four points of winning the Premier League last season.


7. My point yesterday was that Benitez would have needed only a reasonable amount of backing in the transfer market this summer in order to establish Liverpool, the second-best team in the country last season, ahead of a weakened Manchester United, a transitional Chelsea, an inexperienced Arsenal and an embryonic Manchester City as favourites for the Premier League.


8. By reasonable, I mean even something like his past net annual budget, which has amounted to £17m. Nothing excessive, just the kind of outlay that might have facilitated a little fine-tuning. For a club that made a pre-tax profit of £10m in the most recent financial year, since which they have raised another £5.8m in the transfer market (with the outlay on Albert Riera, Peter Gulasci and Victor Palsson more than offset by guaranteed fees of at least £12.8m for the sales of Keane and Steve Finnan) and generated vast sums with their success in finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League.


9. On the face of it, he has made two big-money signings: Glen Johnson from Portsmouth for £17.5m and Alberto Aquilani from AS Roma for £20m. And yes, both fees look a little inflated. But they have been offset, almost to the pound, by the sales of Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sebastian Leto, Paul Anderson, Adam Hammill and Jack Hobbs.There have been notable costs this summer in the new contracts for Torres, Daniel Agger, Kuyt and others, including Benitez, not to mention the expensive business of paying off an enormous number of staff in a dramatic revamp of the club’s technical and youth academy staff.


10. But by far the biggest drain on Liverpool’s resources is the debts brought on by those wonderful owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr – huge interest bills to be paid on money borrowed so that, erm, they could keep clinging on to a club that they clearly cannot take forward. Money well spent, I’m sure you will agree.
    
    Benitez left with striking problem
    


11. Could the Liverpool manager have made better use of his resources this summer? Time will tell. A personal view is that he needs another striker as cover for and sometimes as a counterpoint for Torres. But strikers (with the exception of Michael Owen) cost money. Benitez has had none. When it comes to the final reckoning at the end of the season, which admittedly is 38 games away, I wonder whether that might the difference.
    

Lucas to replace Alonso? Are you sure Rafa?

The most lowly-rated player in the Liverpool squad by the fans.

1. Yesterday's news report really scared me off. You know... the one with ``Rafa put his trust on Lucas to replace Xabi Alonso''. Initially I wanted to ignore it and let other people to contemplate the scenario. But as time passes, I think I must say my piece. I am scared of that prospect!
   


2. Time and time again Lucas Leiva has been a disappointment. I don't know if he's performance during the pre-season should be taken as a barometer of how he could deliver to the team but to replace Xabi's is one hell of a mountain to climb, no matter how sure is Rafa with him and no matter how sure Lucas is with his own ability.
   


3. I guess Lucas is one of the rare Liverpool player that is unfortunate to be lowly-rated by his own fans. It's not because of his hairstyle or the way he run. It's just the fact that he yet to show his pure English-style of footballing... you must bleed when you hunting for the ball, run like a crazy African-marathon runner and flew the opponents in the air with your tackling. Which none of it was evident in Lucas's game. As yet.
   
   
4. But as I've written before, we have to put our faith in Rafa's decision. If he trusted Lucas more than the fans, so be it. But I hope it would not be something to be regretted by January.
   

BOTH SECOND GOALS FROM MAN.U & CHELSEA WERE FRAUD

What's with that signal, Evra? Did Ballack said something in German that you misunderstood?

1. WHAT can you gather from the match last night between Man. U and Chelsea? I missed the 1st goal as I was still on my way home or stopping by at the burger stall in front of my house. But I saw the other 3 goals. What I want to bitch a little bit here is how both of the second goals by the respective teams were made of fraud!
   
   
2. The Chelsea goal was built from a `hand gesture' from a German gangster - who evidently elbowed Evra. Find. On another note, no one should stop playing until the ref blew the whistle, which he didn't. The ever amazing ref of English Premier League has never failed to amaze us!
   
   
3. Then the second goal scored by Rooney was also a fraud. He was about 10 km off-side and yet that man-in-black couldn't see it. Well, I will not talk about the eventual winners from that stupid penalty misses... but one thing we can summarised here is that the match was a crap.
   
   
4. Ok, we understood that this is just a Community Shield and the real one will only resume next weekend where the points are counted. But hey... if you want to make this game as a pornography item, the elbowing incident shouldn't have happened, right?
   
   
5. We shouldn't be reading too much on this game. But another aspect we can see from the Man.U set up was that Michael Owen won't be that much a threat vis-a-vis Valencia. I think Valencia could do some serious harm. I remember he did score the solitary goal when Blackburn were downed 3-1 by Liverpool last season. And they would have to rely not only to Rooney but also the old-horses of Ryan Giggs and Scholes. Pity them. This old-horses would easily get injured after the 7th games.
   
   
6. As for Chelsea, if we can believe what has been said by the tv commentator, the new coach is creating some sort of a diamond a la Sven. And mind you, since the squad didn't change that much, the mentality and the power within led by that impressive Drogba... I guess Chelsea is still the same bitch that we have to hate this season. But I must stressed (especially those Chelshit fans who are reading this now), we the Liverpool fans are not really categorising Chelsea on the top of our HATE CHARTS. It has always been Man.U and will always be. So I suppose the fans of Chelsea must not act silly towards us. Your enemy is our enemy.... That's why ``I won'' also last night. hehehe
   

NEW SEASON 2009/2010 STARTS TONIGHT (Chelsea beat Man.U ? hahaha just a speculation)

Thou shall not forget 14 March 2009 in Old Trafford...

1. It's just an hour half to go before the kick-off for the Charity Shield match between Man.U against Chelsea. A big smile on my face because this is also means a new season is starting. The challenges will be massive for Liverpool with the likes of Man. City who have been attracting many English-based players with their petro-dollar.
   


2. Wow... the 3 months waiting was surreal. That involves a memorable journey down south to Singapore to watch the team with my own eyes.
   


3. I supposed many of you would be watching the game afterwards. It's not a sin. After all, we should study their prowess and weaknesses. In terms of Man.U I always wonder how would they cope with life without Ronaldiva... and Tevez...
   


4. We lost Xabi Alonso and his supposedly-substitute would only be playing in 2 months time. I wonder if we can do better during the opening month of the season.
   


5. After a quick study on the match schedule, I noticed that quite a few games will be played at 4am Malaysian time. Never mind sleeping because after the game, we can SAHUR... hey it's Ramadan very soon! hehehe...
   

Aquilani still injured. Can you believed this?

See you Kops in 2 months time! I'm still nursing my knee... oppss didn't I tell you?

1. MY friends and I had a jolly futsal last night. The attendance was lousy. There were only 11 of us. Thus 5 against 5 with 1 substitute. That meant an almost 2 hours of futsal. But we had fun, some funny goals, some funny defending and lost footing plus cowardice goalkeeping!!! It was a blast and of course, we had a good laugh.
   


2. But the laughing aspect in me gets pretty annoyed when I read the news that Alberto Aquilani, Liverpool’s new £20million signing, has been ruled out for up to two months with a damaged ankle. What? Another Deggen?
   


3. Rafa must have surely well informed about Aquilani's injury, especially his knee operation in May. But every fans must be asking this question : If he is not fit, how in the world that the club carry on with the transaction? £20million is not cheap. It's as if Aquilani is Zenedine Zidane and ``we must buy him, what ever it costs, what ever it be...''. If he is crocked, the club should have look for another player who could be in the same price range... but fitter and healthier and can play instantly on 16 August against Tottenham Hotspur. Who is laughing now?
   
   

Just leave us Lucas...

The reason why LFC lost to Espanyol....

1. I've always insisted that this blog and me myself personally is not in the business of Liverpool-bashing. After all, if I do that - it defeats all the actual purpose of having this blog. Aren't we? However, when you're faced with such a dilemma -- players that play like shit, who doesn't tackled that hard, doesn't run to the ball that enough or push for the possession more aggressively - you have to say something bad about that player. Something akin to the nature of ``you're not belonged here!''.
   


2. You know well my blabbing now is targeted towards non other than Mr Lucas Leiva. It appears today in the UK newspaper that he has given some sort of ultimatum to Rafa. Play me more or I'll go.
   


3. Now Mr Rafa, listen to the fans. Let Lucas Leiva go. Don't play him no more.
   


4. I shall upheld my principle of non-bashing on LFC players. But they'll get bashed here if they don't play like what a Liverpool player supposed to play.

NICE WHITE STRIPS!

AS the title suggested, I will not comment on last night's game against FC Lyn. I was at a coffee shop last night and I didn't know there would be live telecast. Darned. However, I must noted that the white strips wore by the squad is beautiful. It has the same design with Chelsea's home jerseys. Or I might say, similar to the cyclist attire. And the design is body-tight which is not really good to me... eerrr... you know... it will show the shape of my round belly! hahahaha

In welcoming Alberto Aquilani & Farewell to Xabi Alonso

Aquilani was a teammate to one Mr John Arne Risse...

1. Almost simultaneously, Liverpool did the transaction in Madrid to sale Xabi Alonso and in Italy, concluding the deal to take in Alberto Aquilani.
   


2. According to the news report, it was highlighted about Aquilani's series of medical woes a la Michael Owen. hahaha... must we mention that scum?
   


3. The good side, many English football writers acknowledge Aquilani's style of play as similar to Steven Gerrard. Meaning he is not an exchange like-for-like with Xabi. Well, it's expected. Not many can play as well as Xabi...

Below are some of the info that I gather for our knowledge on our new guy :

• He had an ankle surgery in May. So why worry, the problem has been repaired! hmmm...


• He wore No 8 in Roma. No way he'll get the same no in LFC. You know well who is the current owner.


• The 25-year-old will otherwise be encouraged to replicate the way he could become a major influence on Roma’s team in a move that should signal an even more attacking approach from Liverpool in the coming season.


• Aquilani only signed a new four-year deal with Roma worth £70,000 a week in May, following interest from Arsenal a few months earlier, but he has been enticed away by a five-year deal that will increase his weekly wage to £85,000.


• His eye for goal suggests he will link up with Gerrard just behind Fernando Torres, in a departure from last season’s favoured system of using Alonso and Javier Mascherano as midfield anchor men.


• He captained his country at Under 19 and Under 21 levels before establishing himself in the senior national side.
  
  

Sir Alex Ferguson never failed to amuse with his doom prediction on Liverpool

Xabi Alonso’s departure could have a bearing on Liverpool’s chances of improving on last season’s second-placed finish, but Sir Alex Ferguson had already written them off before the deal went through.
The manager of Premier League champions Manchester United said yesterday: ‘I don’t know if it will make a big difference to Liverpool. He is a good player but the thrust of the team is all about Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.
‘Liverpool have just had their best season for years, finished up with 86 points and still finished four adrift. It will be hard for them to match that, let alone improve. Other teams will read them better.
‘It has to be Chelsea as the main threat. Carlo Ancelotti will change the way Chelsea play'. - The Daily Mail

1. So what do we make of this? Should we be mad? I don't think so. Let's get even. Because mind-games is one area that no one can beat Sir Alex. After all, he is now the oldest bastard not only in Manchester but the whole of UK, including the Falkland Islands.
   


2. It has been confirmed by the club on the departure of Xabi Alonso for £30million. Let it be. If you're set to go and your mind, your soul's elsewhere, we have to accept that Xabi won't be a Kop next season. According to the news report, Rafa is eyeing Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani to replace Xabi. Not sure if this fella is similar to Xabi but for a price of £17m, Aquilani (aku janji?) he would be one of our most expensive midfielder after Javier Mascherano. errr... excuse me, Mr Steven Gerrard - another midfielder that we have - is priceless!!!
   


3. So Sir Alex already count us out. Funny he can say such thing boldly, even without his diva, Ronaldo to help the squad change the playing tempo. I deliberately cut & pasted the above news report quoting Sir Alex because I surely will re-paste it when we beat the scum again, this coming season.

FIND COOL LFC MERCHANDISE IN SINGAPORE!

My gang were somewhere near the left tower of the floodlights... It does look big based on this photo but funny, we had to sit on a wood bench... something that is already not in used in Malaysia since the 1990's and yet Singapore maintained it. hmmm...

1. Yesterday, I bought the last season LFC performance reviews DVD. But I still didn't have time to watch it. May be tonight, may be not because I still have Sopranos to watch (it's really addictive... seriously!) And of course, if I were to watch the LFC's DVD, I would go straight to the March 14th. You know... the day when we beat Man.U 4-1 at Old Trafford. That would be invigorating, rejuvenating and full of orgasm.... (what ever it means! hahaha)
   


2. I have established a good communication with our fellow bloggers from across the Tambak Johor. Well, among other things that we discussed was the location that we can go to buy some interesting LFC merchandise. After gotten a jacket and a shirt on my recent visit, I still have the strong urges to return there to get a hold on many more things.



3. According to Bakhtiar Afandi Muhayat, merchandise can be found at La vanita,Weston Sports at Peninsular Plaza,also at LFC branch at Kreta Ayer CC ,Hong Lim Park.Weston Sports the most famous at the moment,,can bargain too..Queensway well, is a sports hub where alot of sports items can be find.
   


4. Since the trip with my reliable chauffeur (Kajang-Today) and companion (Daniel) can be considered a success-trip, it is also I must noted a good experience on what to expect and what to do and how to get there... It's not like it was first trip but mind you, my previous trips were on business-official functions and I get to fly there. Easy. Then after travelling via land and driving (sleeping) the whole journey, I find it very much an eye opener. I can do it on my own! Yeah... get our fellow bloggers to wait for you on the other side - take you to the mall and then return to the taxi stand. It's not like you will stay there for a week...