Comings and Goings

The transfer window will reopen in the next few hours as we usher in the New Year.

Much had been going on since August. Players got injured, out of form and out of depth but interestingly we are at the top into 2009. When was the last time we did this? Not sure but surely its happy days for us now.

Personally, I sincerely think we are not into 5th gear yet. Torres missed a large part of the campaign and heaven forbids for him to be out injured again in this closing and exciting stages.
In his absence, thankfully the fringe players did a good job covering his loss by contributing to the goal tally. It's been shared between Gerrard, Kuyt, Keane and Alonso. Benayoun, Babel and Riera too it must be mentioned.

On the contrary, Pennant did not feature much and Dossena looked out of depth in the league despite good spell with Udinese, the very reason why Rafa bought him earlier.
Thought these 2 will be dispatched by Rafa to finance new acquisition. Sell to buy.

We are still in 3 competitions including the FA Cup thus we need players to be rotated when needed. I'd like to see the arrival of a new striker and a right winger. Yeah, a right winger. This is where we lacked the cutting edge though Benayoun did well lately.

I can understand Rafa's interest in Heskey (pic). He doesn't score much but he offers something different from all the current strikers. He is there to hold the ball and let somebody else scores. Basically he is needed when the going gets tough, when everything else fails or when Stoke came a calling, when brute power is needed. Brawn over brain?

Anyone heard about Liege's Axel Witsel? Read somewhere he is lightning quick over the right flank. Can't remember much from the CL game . Funny name though.

Sure Insua Part 2

Think we are ready to ship Dossena back to Italy at the first opportunity now that we have Emiliano Insua as left back alternating with Aurelio.

Simply put it, this kiddo only 19 is awesome. He has pace, good crosses, maturity and everything that Dossena doesn't have.
The burly Italian is leaden footed and terribly slow. An attribute that doesn't belong in the Premiership. Maybe in Serie A where the pace is slower akin to walking and a yawn to watch.

To my eyes, Insua is now even better than Aurelio, seemingly the 1st choice left back until now. With the emergence of Insua, maybe he'll warm the bench upon his return from injury.
"Sudah jatuh ditimpa tangga" it seems. Not only he has regain match fitness, he has to dislodge Insua from the pecking order. A tall order for now given how well the little Argies has performed so far. He has shut out Brett Emerton, Bacary Sagna, Matt Taylor and Damien Duff and importantly reversed their role to defending from his marauding runs and good crosses.

I'm not a fan of Dossena and we'll not miss him if Rafa bid adieu. Good luck though!
We all know what happened to Luis Garcia, Mark Gonzalez, Michael Owen and others who had been shown the door by Senor Goatee. Leave at your own risk!

Toon Barmy

The icing on the cake!

Chelsea drew and we are 3 points clear at the top!

On Sir Bobby Robson Day and in front of the legend himself, Liverpool crushed Newcastle 5-1, and it could have been double figures had Lady Luck smiled bigger.

Liverpool were ruthless. Period. Even the fringe players performed creditably well today and poor Robbie Keane who scored a brace just 2 days ago was warming the bench the whole time.
At the end all 4 central defenders were on show. Agger moved to the left, Hyypia and Skrtel played central while Carra stayed on the right.
The biggest loser was Keane and I can his frustration but that's life in Liverpool.
With the game won, Rafa sent in Ngog and Skrtel and totally jigged the formation. Talking about rotation, that's the father of all rotation. It's unimaginable before that Liverpool ended the game with players playing in a rather peculiar position.

That good we were! And Torres was not even in the equation!

Boxed!

The scorers last night

It's a pity that Robbie Keane didn't get his hattrick to cap a memorable night.

Thought last night was one of Liverpool's best performance this season if not the best.
75% possession for first half alone, countless corner kicks, one of which Riera profited from Gerrard's delivery. Bolton simply melted under immense pressure from Liverpool for which Gerrard and Alonso were masterful, classy and everything that Bolton do not have.
If it was a boxing match, it'll be a TKO long before Megson can wave the white handkerchief.

The formation were spot on with Riera and Benayoun provided much needed width that Liverpool lacked recently in drawn games with Fulham and West Ham.

With 3 goals in 2 games, I'm certain Robbie Keane of old is back and that spells danger to the other contenders. Known to spring into life in 2nd part of the season, Keane played the game of his life in Liverpool's colours last night. His touches, movements and clinical strikes were awesome to say the least. His goals were a beauty too!

With Torres slated for a return on Sunday, Rafa has to tinker a bit and looks like Benayoun has to be sacrificed for Kuyt on the right with Keane and Torres in attack. Sounds interesting?

Tell that to Owen and Co, they're already shivering in their pants!
Liverpool, in my books will end the year at the top.

Question is how many goals Newcastle will ship to Liverpool?

Boxing Bolton

Dunno what's the tradition behind Boxing Day! All I know it's a day after Christmas and traditionally only Englishmen play football on that day. The rest of Europe are savouring roast turkeys. Imagine playing football on the 2nd Hari Raya full with rendangs, ketupats and whatnots. Silly!

We, the fans would be savouring sumptuous matches played on Friday and Sunday. That's 2 games in 3 days!
Liverpool will meet Bolton and travel to Newcastle on Sunday.
With Christmas champion title in their belt, it's another title credential test after the lows of Emirates where we struggled to break down 10 man Arsenal.
It's a home game, the traditionally impregnable Anfield where lately boring draws are the theme of the day.
Can Liverpool snap the hoodoo streak? They better be. We are the leaders now and few others are breathing down their neck.

No sign of Torres as yet but with Keane scoring at last, I think Rafa will stick to the same 11 that played at Arsenal with the exception of a returning Mascherano in place of Lucas.

Predicting a low scoring affair. Maybe 1-0 and Bolton are not known to park a bus and that's spells business for Liverpool on Friday.
Friday? That's unusual but what's usual about this season anyway?

A Blue Ode

We are winter champions!

Thank you Everton!

For holding 10 man Chelsea at your home ground without a recognised striker! Must be a commendable feat considering your lengthy injury list.

Your beloved neighbour, Liverpool are now an EPL leader albeit just a point over your recent vanquished Chelsea, a team laden with stars from Earth and Mars.

Liverpool, the now so called winter champions as in other European Union countries would now strive to stay there until May 2009, a pedestal they're accustomed to but the one that eluded them since 1990, some long 18 years ago.
Yes, it's 18 years since they last won the league during which Kelantan was conquered by PAS, Hidayah was born sometimes after, Khan just started teaching and Jo Utusan was still in his abode in Sarawak. That's how long it was!

Thank you again Everton! For everything.

Gunning Gooners Part 2

Apart from Robbie Keane's clinical strike, thought Liverpool were too negative. They played not to lose, not to win and that's against 10 man Arsenal. It's a cliche really now that whenever Gerrard plays badly, Liverpool too play badly. And Gerrard was never in the game.

The 2nd half was forgettable. It was in the 60th minute that Adebayor was sent off and Liverpool got to enjoy numerical advantage for another half an hour but chose to drop the tempo. Baffling!
Cannot remember Almunia's save after that either. Only consolation was that Keane scored again and it only augurs well for Liverpool for the 2nd half of the season. Torres could also be back soon. Maybe for the Bolton game this Friday and how Liverpool have missed him with all these sickening draws.

With Chelsea playing later tomorrow, our position at the top could be in jeopardy should Chelsea continue their away winning run unless Everton had other ideas.
Maybe for once, we'll be thanking our neighbour. Talking about 'semangat kejiranan'.

Get Real

I was hoping for Sporting Lisbon really but got Real Madrid instead! No one's complaining though.

At this moment, Real are a pale shadow of their former self. Influential players like Nistelrooy and Cannavaro are either injured or past their shelf life. The club are like 12 points adrift from Barca and recently parted way with German Schuster. They are currently managed by Juande Ramos who himself was fired by Spurs not too long ago.

All in all, the omens are good for Liverpool. Rafa would relish the chance to 'balik kampung' and so are the rest of Spanish armada.
But that's February 2009! Some 2 months away!

For now, let's focus on Arsenal on Sunday. It's somewhat low key with Arsenal languishing at 5th below Aston Villa and what better chance for Liverpool to further break away from Chelsea who are due at Goodison. I think Everton will beat Chelsea!

With that, the trip to Emirates will represent a bigger chance to break away and I know it'll be a hell of a game sans Torres and Keane.

Gunning Gooners

Was down with fever since last week and blog updating was the last thing on my mind, coupled with that disappointing draw with Hull last week compounding the grey matter.

I'm now back with a vengeance and what a better time to beat the crap out of Wenger's kids.
Watching the Reds toiled against Hull wasn't exactly what the doctors ordered!

To me, it was all plain negativity by Rafa that Liverpool again failed to nick 3 points at home. Playing 4-5-1 formation at home with Kuyt as the lone striker is a sure recipe for disaster and what a disaster it would have been if not for Gerrard's brace!

This Sunday, it'll be against Arsenal away and a win would eliminate Arsenal once and for all from the title race if they're not out of it yet.
Any words on Torres?

Blackout

Finally, a performance we can be proud of from Robbie Keane. Not just Keane, from Babel, Lucas and Ngog as well.
Keane led the line almost perfect I'd say, the only blemish was that he did not register a goal.
Signs were there that he would eventually come good.

The Anfield future is safe it seems as Benitez chose the stage to blood 3 young lads into CL, all 3 did creditably well.
Rewards for topping the group? A 2nd leg at home against who cares anyway. We'll take on anything come what may.
It's happy days for Pool's fans. Top of EPL, top of CL.

Now, where the hell is Hull?

Philips Lights Out

The usual suspects for Project Philips

Not too much to play for. Last 16 already in the bag. It's either No 1 or No 2 for the Reds.
No Hyypia, no Kuyt and no Torres either. Hyypia to that stupid ruling while both Kuyt and Torres are out due to injuries. The man to lead the line? Of course, it will be Robbie Keane. Hope something turns out good for the man. Sooner rather than later. We want Keane of old, the one that scores loads of goals for Spurs, the very reason Benitez brought him to Anfield.

Surely, a good player cannot turn to a bad player overnight, do they? Andriy Shevchenko a case in point. Hope not with Robbie Keane though clearly we need an extra striker. Roque Santa Cruz perhaps? He's not cup tied anyway and will be good addition to Europe.

Back to Phillips Stadion, any result better than Tico's would ensure Liverpool top the group be it a win, draw or lose. Lose 0-1 and hope Tico lose theirs by a bigger margin and we'll be top.
As Liverpool cannot meet the other 3 English clubs in the last 16, the potential opponents could be Barca, Real, Juve, Inter, Porto, Lyon, Bayern, Roma and few others. No easy meat hereafter.

The only consolation is that table topper would play the 2nd leg at home and who's better to switch off the lights at Philips Stadion than Robbie Keane for heaven's sake.

Sure Insua

Way 2 go kiddo!

It was a nervy night alright. At the end it was status quo, all 4 went about their business very business like.

Watched by Keane on the bench, the first half at Ewood was listless. Passing was good but that was it. No end product. Kuyt as a lone striker was helpless, assistance not forthcoming from either Babel and Benayoun.
Babel once labeled as the next Thierry Henry was poor throughout while Benayoun only came good sporadically. If only he could produce goal such as last night at regular interval. What a wish list!
The first goal only came after Babel went off and in came Nabil El Zhar. The little Moroccan gave a decent account of himself and it was through his run that Gerrard managed to cap the night with a cool side foot in injury time.

The only bright spot apart from the 3 goals was the performance of little Argie, Emiliano Insua. Drafted as replacement for Aurelio, the kid was sure footed and gave an impression that he's ready to play on regular basis down the left side. Thought he was better than Dossena. Though little in stature, he did not get bullied by giant Brett Emerton while launching a few forays of his own and did get a few useful crosses, one which Alonso cracked straight at Paulie Robinson before that sweet first goal.

The downside was the inability of Liverpool to force down the opponent right from the start, leaving it quite late to stamp their superiority time and again despite having a large possession in midfield. It was in the final third that we suck and thoughts about those stalemate did cross my mind a few times.
Alonso did well to calm the nerves before Santa Cruz heightened it again near the end.

In the end, no goal from the strikers and midfielders got all 3. Guess the job vacancy ads is still on. Babel and Keane, are you watching?

Job Vacancy

The Liverpool Football Club (LFC) is now inviting applications from suitably-qualified strikers who are seeking opportunities to broaden their footballing career development to join our club now at the top of Barclay's Premier League for the post of:
Central Striker
(United Kingdom)

Requirements:

• Have played at either EPL, La Liga, Serie A or Ligue 1 for at least 2 years. Players from Ereidivisie will be considered on case to case basis even with 30 goals a season in Ereidivisie as we already have Dirk Kuyt in employment.
• Capable of scoring at least 20 goals per season in EPL or at least touted to be capable of scoring 20 goals per season as Robbie Keane.
• Have a pleasant personality. Bad hairstyles as Marouane Fellaini and Djibril Cisse would not be considered.Cockiness of Cristiano Ronaldo would not be considered either.
• Ready to rot in the reserves as Jermaine Pennant.
• Preferably an internationals as Lucas Leiva and Yossi Benayoun.
  

Applicants are invited to submit full details of qualifications, experience, current and expected salaries, contact telephone numbers and recent passport-size photograph to:

The Manager
LFC Human Resource Department
Liverpool, UK.

Weekend or social futsal players need not apply.

Trains, Buses and LRTs

The phrase were first coined by The Special One when away teams came to Stamford Bridge. Some were successful, some weren't. Chelsea were awesome then, only losing their home record to Liverpool after some 4 years. Then under Jose, Chelsea somehow managed to score at home, winning ugly by a slim 1-0 margin time and again.

Now, teams will visit Anfield to garner a point. They'll play with a lone striker and pack their midfield with defensive players. We have yet to lose at Anfield but have drawn 3, dropping 6 valuable points.

The remaining visitors will take a leaf out of these 3 and no doubt will play similar strategy.
It's up to Rafa now to devise a plan on how to remove these parked trains, buses and LRTs out of the way. Guess we are too predictable at home. Maybe a different set of players could do the trick here. Maybe more crafty players like El Zhar perhaps? Pennant with his dribbling perhaps? After all, teams will only defend, relying on counter attack to score and our solid defenders are more than able to neutralise these few forays on their own. So Pennant could be useful with no defensive duties entrusted to him.
Maybe a few quick minutes with Jose will do the trick? I'm sure he doesn't mind to spill the beans on Chelsea. They sacked him anyway!

Tables Don't Lie

The scene at Ewood Park

Let bygones be bygones.
I know it's been a hard week for all of us. 2 consecutive home draws aren't exactly the staple diet we are craving for.

But hey, we are at the top of the league. A position we never held before in December since the inception of Premiership. This is our best start ever. Period.

OK, we could have been running away with the title had we scored against Stoke, Fulham and West Ham at Anfield but over 15 games we are at the top. Point ahead of Chelsea and 6 ahead of bitter rival MU. Arsenal can be discounted from the contenders list.

Satisfied? No? We are demanding lot, the scribe included. Consider this, last year we were 9 points adrift of the then leader Arsenal. We know then, it would be impossible to catch the other 3.

This season, the opposite happens. They are playing catch up and if we continue our winning run, the table will look like it did today. Mind you, table don't lie.

This Saturday, we'll take on beleaguered Rovers. They were thumped 5-3 this morning by MU in Carling Cup and they have mere 2 days to prepare against us.
Paul Ince is definitely down. They say it's not nice to kick a man who's down but sorry Incey, you're next. The Reds are coming to Ewood to rub salts into your gaping wounds.

Owen Comes Lately

The team that failed to beat West Ham

Yes, I was hallucinating after all.

The headlines tomorrow would be "Red Army Stumbles On" instead. Think the pressure had gone to the players' head. Evidence? Gerrard's display last night was enough to document such notion. Yes, the normally cool, calm and collected Gerrard. The team was booed off the pitch. The fans were letting their frustrations known for it was another insipid, pathetic performance from a team who wants to be seriously considered as title contender. Tell that to Sir Alex?

West Ham parking their team bus was expected and it was up to Liverpool to find the keys. We could not find it all night and weirdly, we are still at the top, a point ahead of Chelsea and 6 points of Man U. If Man U were to win their game in hand, it would be only 3. Frightening thought?

To be brutally honest, how can one expect to win matches with such blunt strikeforce consisting of Keane, Kuyt, Ngog and Babel. How many chances created by them last night?
The one likely to break the deadlock was Hyypia. That sums it up.
Ngog who looked promising in pre season looked lost after he came on for Keane who increasingly looked like a misfit by the day . Case of 'tikus membaiki labu'?
Kuyt seems forgot how to play as a striker after long spell on the right.
Player's choice? Seems Rafa has lost it again with his substitutions. Thought Babel is a better choice over Ngog any day.

To be fair, Babel came too little too late to salvage a sinking ship. Riera as solid as he is, doesn't have the finesse to crack open stout defence. Benayoun? Looked lost either and consistently inconsistent.

Given the above, a drab draw would be a fair results. Benitez watched by one half of the Yanks surely got to dip his hands in January transfer market. We need cover. A plan B to last the whole distance.

And in nippy Owen, we have a ready answer. He is reportedly comes cheap at only 2M pound. He is only 28 and has many years ahead of him if used sparingly as cover for Torres.
Nippy player was what Liverpool needed last night and sadly there wasn't any.

It was more 2 points dropped than a point gained and I hate a home games. Visitors will park their bus and Liverpool would not find the lost key. The storyline has become so predictable that the game would be so boring. Liverpool are much better in their journeys so far this season.

Seems like Anfield has lost its invincibility and everybody is borrowing Stoke's holy book of How Not To Lose At Anfield. A bestseller in greater part of UK for now.

Hope the lads will rebound soon enough to consolidate our position at the top and I know they would. Blackburn could find themselves with a wounded lion this Saturday.

The best part is a politically-correct friend of mine took a day off to celebrate Liverpool's ascendancy to the top. Happy miserable holiday!

Hammer Time

Team to hammer West Ham minus Aurelio

Whoa! Christmas comes early or what?
The result that we've been yearning for became a reality thanks to 2 clinical strikes from Van Persie.
With that, the top spot is ripe for the taking by Liverpool. And West Ham awaits.

Tomorrow morning we'll entertain a sponsor less West Ham whose shirt sponsor XL had grown too big for their shirt size. Talking about economic uncertainty!

The only certain thing is Liverpool will ensure the Hammers be hammered. The players know it and they will be determined to put things into perspective after that Fulham debacle.
Heroes will be born with or without Torres. Had strange feelings that it will be Keane!

There is no better time! Even a slim winning margin will turn into headlines in tomorrow's paper.

I can foretell ' Red Army March On', 'Longest Wait is Over' and so on will be splashed all over town. Guardian UK, NOTW and even Kali's NST will scream red.

Am I hallucinating?

November Rain

What's with this occupational hazard?

When everything seems rosy, L'OM hurdles cleared, still at the top of the standing, suddenly........
Torres is out injured again. Maybe 2-3 weeks. That old thing hamstring again. Maybe it's a Liverpool curse. Owen had been plagued by it before and now Torres. Guess, speed merchant has a weak hamstring after all. Medical proof? Ain't got one but how can you explain the illness that only affects those blessed with winged feet. Never heard Carra got one before.

Hamstring aside, I know we have been winning matches without him but when he's in the team, we are certainly a better team. This kiddo got an aura about him. It's infectious to the whole team. A feel good factor to the fans as well.
Simply put it, Torres is indispensable to Liverpool's cause. So is Gerrard.

Liverpool will only get the chance to hammer West Ham on Monday after the dust has been settled. By that time, we'll already know the fate of Chelsea, MU and Arsenal.
A perfect position and timing to consolidate our position at the top should the other contenders faltered over the weekend or to keep up in case of a reverse.

Who's the saviour this time around. Gerrard again? Keane? Kuyt?
Do not care one bit even if winning ugly rear it's ugly head once again. 1-0 will do as long we are winning. Hope we'll be singing in the November rain.

Last 16

Gifted but pink boots?

Liverpool are through to the last 16 with a game to spare. Not an easy stroll though.

It was highly indifferent Liverpool tonight. Got the first goal through Gerrard and sat back, losing the midfield battle in the process and hung on to dear life at the end.
Marseille dominated large portion of the match and only some smart saves from Pepe and last minute intervention from Jamie Carragher denied the visiting team a goal or two.

However, it wasn't to be and Liverpool scrapped through. We are still sitting at the 2nd spot as Tico also won at home. It's a decider when we go to Holland. A battle to decide who tops the group.
No worry, we have won there before. The important point is we had qualified and can focus on EPL.

L'OM done. It's Hammer time next Tuesday morning.

Lets Get Gerets

Another big laugh tonight?

The penultimate game of CL, tonight against Gerets' L'OM.

A win tonight would see us qualified for the knock out phase. A win would also go a long way in securing the top spot ahead of Atletico.
Goal difference is pretty important too as Tico are ahead in that department.

Both are expected to win tonight. Again, it's going to the wire where both will play away to determine the No 1 spot.

First thing first. Let us overcome Gerets' boys and put CL at the back of our mind temporarily. Time to consolidate the position in EPL.
OM is no whipping boy either. They have players that can trouble us. Niang, Kone and Cana comes to mind. They even beat us 1-0 last year with that Valbuena's stinging shot.

That was last year! Guess we are stronger this term and Gerrard will be back for the Anfield faithfuls.

Forget Fulham and get Gerets instead!

Mind Games

The chess exponent!

It has started. The verbal mud-slinging match between players and managers alike.

We are only 1/3 into the new season and if media reports are to be believed, 2 players namely Michael Ballack and shaggy haired Jimmy Bullard have issued statements or rather comments downplaying Liverpool's chances to the elusive title. Reversed psychology at it's best.
They're not accustomed to see Liverpool at the top hence the comments.

Ballack said it's a 2 horse race between MU and Chelsea while Bullard commented that Liverpool relied too heavily on certain individuals.
Admittedly, man for man, pound for pound Chelsea are much better equipped to last the whole 9 yards. The team still missing the likes of Essien, Drogba and Carvalho is at the top, a position they share with our beloved Liverpool.
On the contrary, it was team spirit that carried Liverpool through when the chips are down, when influential players like Gerrard and Torres were out injured. Of course these 2 are irreplaceable but the team prevailed.

That is why squad players are so important!
This is a 38 long chess game. Players will get injured or suspended, there's no doubting that.
When called upon, they must be ready to step up to the plate and not found wanting.

It is crucial that squad players like Benayoun, Babel, Lucas and Pennant to get real and start producing some actions that we can be proud of consistently.

I believe it's going to the wire. Liverpool and Chelsea, only.
Sorry Mr Ballack, you're dead wrong.

'Shame'ba

Move over, I'm not Brazilian!

Brazilian footballers are generally known to have nimble foot works, silky skills, deadly free kicks, step overs and all the niceties normally associated with Brazilian player.

But in Liverpool, we have a Brazilian who has none of the above. Meet Lucas Leiva!
Supposedly the one for the future as claimed by Senor Goatee. In many matches that he played so far in Liverpool colours, I've never seen him putting a decent enough performance to warrant him a spot in Liverpool's bench let alone the first team.
Maybe, that game against Inter in Milan last term. That's the exception.

What is it in him that pleases Rafa that we don't see?
The Fulham draw was concrete evidence that this un-Brazilian guy is not an EPL material. Just look and compare at Denilson at Arsenal, Santo at Chelsea, Robinho at Man C who are about the same age with him.
They're a class above him and performing all things Brazilian that people all over the world crave for. Is he Brazilian after all?

Offload him in January? Do not think he'll make the grade here.

Fulham Flame Part 3

Two to tango but Lucas is a poor dancer!

It was kinda weird night for EPL. As fate would have it, the top 3 all drew their matches yesterday. My buddy, the man from planet sigap said, no need to ponder much about Liverpool's failure as the other 2 also failed in their quest. The other 2 are of course Chelsea and Man U, Arsenal is already out of the equation.

Me, kinda different. In my earlier posting, I have pointed the Fulham game was a chance to reclaim the top spot should Chelsea falter against Newcastle. They did but so did us. The chance went to the drain. Disappointing.

Admittedly, I saw this one coming. When ESPN announced that Lucas and Masch to play together, I was dumbfounded. 2 defensive midfielders to supply ammunition to Keane and Torres? Carling Cup lineup but EPL?
Masch is no Marcos Senna. The new Argies captain is great at snapping others' heels but never a forward passer. He's a sideway passer king. He's needed alright but with Gerrard or Alonso, not with him calling the shots. That's an impossible task for him.
Lucas? hhmmm ....he's neither here nor there kinda guy.
Guess Alonso should started the match. Yeah..maybe he was tired after Spain's midweek match. Maybe Rafa got his rotation formula wrong this time around. The wrong team for a right opponent.

So the strikers were bereft of their supply of sublime passes, through balls and the team suffered throughout. The midfield was non existent. Persona non Grata. The drab, scoreless affair is probably right for a poor, pathetic home performance. Everybody said the home game against mediocre teams is important but here we are dropping points like nobody's business. Then Stoke, now Fulham.

And Keane? Time to show him the bench. Partner Torres with Kuyt and bring back Pennant to the right.
The flame were doused by our own doings......

Fulham Flame Part 2

Bullard who?

Here's another chance to reclaim the top spot from Chelsea should they falter against Owen & Co.
It's another mid table team in the form of Fulham, a small club from London.

Some order will be restored tomorrow with Arbeloa coming back into the side following his suspension. Torres scored for Las Rojas in midweek and looked very sharp for a striker who did not play for almost 2 months. Keane has recovered from his "injury" while Gerrard was really injured after all. Benitez and Capello were both "right" on their respective assessment on Gerrard's groin.

In the absence of Gerrard, Alonso and Masch will patrol the midfield in a 4-4-2 formation. Reminiscent of MU game.
It's Anfield of course. No way for a lone striker. It will be Keane and Torres up front.

Fulham, guess would not bring the team bus into the stadium. They have two potent strikers of their own in Zamora and Johnson. Bullard against Masch. Mouthwatering prospect.

It's not a walk in the park, surely. Fulham will provide a stern test to Liverpool's title credentials. They're not going down without a bruising fight.
That's what will make this tie all but a dull match. It's dogfight till the end but clearly only 1 winner and that's you know who.

Wailing Wall of Anfield

Amidst international friendlies and run up to Fulham game tomorrow, suddenly Benayoun( pic) voiced out his frustration at limited first team opportunities and threatened to leave Anfield if status quo remains.

Benitez cannot pleases everyone while having a winning formula. Never change a winning team, a cliche really. Hence the limited appearances for the likes of Babel, Pennant and Benayoun this term.
OK, Benayoun scored a couple of hat tricks last season but truth is, he was never a first team material. He is a squad player....even with West Ham, his former club. A substitute when some other player was taken ill or when rotation is the order of the day.
My take...he is a consistent player.....consistently underperformed.

What the heck is he complaining? Maybe he thinks an Israeli captain deserves a better treatment. Go on son, prove yourself on the pitch.

Or else go wailing at Anfield wall....

Fulham Flame

So Spurs' mini revival were snapped by Fulham...and we are meeting them next. Anfield for the last league match in November.
Fulham are now in 10th position aided by goals by Andy Johnson, the former Everton frontrunner.

Managed by much traveled Roy Hodgson, the Cottagers also paraded other notable stars like Bobby Zamora, Jimmy Bullard, Mark Schwarzer and former Kop darling Danny Murphy (pic).

Have they got the belief to thwart Liverpool, seemingly at ease at the top of standing?

Belief yes, talent yes but Liverpool will be too big a test for the Cottagers.
So the marauding run continues.....

Catch Me If You Can!

Dynamic duo!

It could have been 6...if not for some woeful finishing. Liverpool dominated the 1st half before Bolton gave a good account of themselves in the 2nd. Liverpool were living dangerously before a killer goal by Steven...and Bolton were deflated and finally defeated.

In between, Keane and Gerrard missed from 3 feet away. Astonishing miss!
Torres back from injury, hit the post before Lucas contrived to miss another sitter at the very end...and Kuyt who got the first goal smacked the woodwork before his opener.

At times, I could sense a dejavu, similar to Spurs game where Liverpool missed a host of gilt edged chances after another before fell to to a sucker punch. Mind you, Bolton were threatening at the start of the 2nd half. However, it wasn't to be and Liverpool walked away with another 3 points. Not walking alone though.

That precious win sent Liverpool back at the top, set the tone for the weekend, contenders and pretenders alike. Catch me if you can!

Juicy Jussi

Act#1
Remember that famous freaky goal?

Even Gerrard was embarrassed to see a seemingly harmless shot turned to goal by the Bolton net minder. Thought the "act" could make an interesting display in Bloopers Museum, behind Peter Enckleman's miss kick of course.

Act#2
Tomorrow Jussi will entertain a hungry bunch of goal-getter again led by mercurial Torres at the Reebok.
Bolton has always played straight forward football since God knows when. Route 1 football, from keeper to Kevin Davies. Little fella with a good leap. Some teams failed to cope, some nullified them. Liverpool rarely had any problem dealing with those punts. Nowadays, they seem to mix it on the floor. With good effect? Good, if you are of Gary Megson's standard.

Apart from Spurs' fiasco, we were excellent on the road thus the dizzying heights in the standing.
Could Nolan & Co cause some trouble tomorrow? Could be but not to the extent of denying Liverpool another 3 points and a brief lead at the top of the table. Brief...WBA to hammer the Blues? Of course not.

Torres came through unscathed the other day so he'll be the 1st name to be penciled in Rafa's eleven. Those direct runs...aahhh, 7 games without him. We missed you dude!

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Been a while since my last posting. That solace thing pushed me into a cocoon.

In tune with everybody else, there wasn't a single mention of Carling Cup tie with Spurs. It's BPL that matters. Now that we are defeated, it could be a blessing in disguise for that elusive title.

But.....us, being a die-hard fans, the pain is still there. It'll be hypocrite of us to just dismiss this 2nd defeat. Yup..it's a 2nd loss in a space of 2 weeks at the hands of Uncle Harry. Second stringers and all. A defeat is still a defeat....call it with any other name, it still sucks, Carling Cup notwithstanding. A case of the postman always rings twice.

Cannot bear to read "Malay Mail" headlines today. It screams Spurs roasted Liverpool. Roasted? Who's that editor please? Either he's a Man U fan or is it a testament to the current Reds' pedigree that everyone starts to hate us?

Arsene "Hassan" Wenger loudly proclaimed earlier this week that it'll be a tightest race ever. Who are you kidding with Hassan? It's a 2 horse race between Liverpool and Chelsea.

I dedicate this posting to my eldest, Aliff. Another Liverpool budding fan. He scored 5A's in UPSR exam today. Not to be seen as bragging, certainly he inherits the same passion for the greatest team in the world from his father. The brain too.....

Baggies Bagged

Another monkey off my back!

I must commend West Brom. They did not come to Anfield to park a bus. How refreshing for a team languishing at the bottom of the table just above Spurs to come to Anfield to play some football. For that alone, they must commended for their part.

As for me, I've found my solace. A big quantum of solace. The team showed a big character to bounce from Spurs' heartache. Though the win cannot be categorised as big as Chelsea's effort, satisfying it was. The pace was not high, understandable after Tico's exertion in midweek.

I was predicting a 3-0 scoreline and Keane to open his account , yet again I was right.
His goals were sublime. A huge monkey off his back. I've never doubted his ability, guess he was trying too hard to score before tonight. Sometimes he was fielded as a lone striker, a task not suitable for his style of play. He is most deadly in a pair, 4-4-2 formation. Expect more goals from him now that the floodgates had been prised open.

Torres did get some actions towards the end. Hope Rafa will field him in Carling Cup against of all team, Spurs again for him to regain match fitness.
How sweet revenge it would be if we can stuff the boys in white. That defeat still lingers painfully.

Ohh I forgot...Arbeloa's stupendous curler. A collectors item.

Bagging The Baggies

Tonight's the time to rekindle the spirit. Time to unleash the beast. Time to roll the juggernaut again.

It's WBA and it's Anfield. Torres will be back after an enforced 6 games hiatus. Perfect setting for a goal feast.

On the count of chances created in the last 2 games, Liverpool deserved to win them. Both opponents were peppered with shots all over the place but the ball just wasn't going in. Word work, last ditch body blocks, wayward finishing, you name it. It were there for all to see. Chances were aplenty.

I'm pretty sure given the circumstances, the boys will buck the trend today and go back to winning ways.
Reclaim top spot and hope Chelsea got unstuck with Incey's Roy of Rovers.
How's that for a quantum of solace?

Seeking Solace

Joy for Liverpool, Tico heartbroken!

It was a turbulent week for all of us, hardcore Reds triggered by that Spurs thing.
We called it unlucky, undeserved and many other non printable quotes.

Undeserved for Spurs?

How about the draw with Tico just now? Thot it was undeserved for both Tico and Liverpool.
With seconds remaining, the referee gave a questionable penalty to Liverpool as if to atone for his earlier mistake for not awarding a penalty when Peres handled in the box.
That penalty decision will haunt this Swedish bloke when he watches the replay on his IKEA sofa. That too could see him demoted to some meaningless game, maybe InterToto cup. I'd like to see that. He was horrible.

So too were Liverpool. The strikers, Keane in particular look like schoolboys missing chances after another. Agger when presented with 3 clear chances, fluffed all them, goal gaping et al.
Babel and Ngog, please train harder. You lot were pathetic.
In the end, SG belted the undeserved penalty with gusto. Salute him for keeping his composure.

The Reds reunion wasn't a happy one.

I'm seeking my solace. Perhaps West Brom could provide me with a little quantum.

Reds Reunion Part 3

Optimists said the Spurs loss the other day was just a blip. A blip on a long march towards May.

I'm not one though, rather more extremist. One who would experience mood swing every now and then. I'm talking about Liverpool's performance here, nothing else. Euphoria and then sulking minutes later.

Tonight, ermm tomorrow's early hours really, we'll be glued to the idiot box again. It's another table top clash between the Reds and Tico. Again, the main talking point would be whether Torres biting his lips in the stand or orchestrating Tico's fall.

He did not make it to the 1st reunion game. In fact he has missed the last 5 games and we badly missed him too. With K&K somewhat blowing hot and cold, it's not rocket science to tell how the kiddo was labeled as the missing link between a creative midfield and a goal shy strikers.

Can Liverpool recover from that unlucky loss? Let's hope for the best.

An Even Dirtier Harry

Comeback soon!

Hard to fathom this loss to Spurs. Started so brightly yet failed to kill off the match and subsequently fell to a sucker punch. Many chances went begging. The woodwork also came to Spurs' defense at least twice.

This made Harry looked exceptional. Is he? Think he's bold though. Rafa for one was out smarted by the wily old fox. His substitutions early in the 2nd half made all the difference.

Rafa responded by taking off Robbie Keane, putting on Babel. Results? Domination went downhill. Babel failed miserably to lead the line or provide link up play done to perfection by Keane. Benayoun too failed in his role.
The defense were put under pressure and finally cracked.
Thought a more cavalier approach should have done the trick as Spurs were playing 2 strikers towards the end. This is where Rafa failed. His extras too, it must be mentioned.

Hard luck and clearly we missed a certain Spanish hitman. Comeback soon kiddo.

Prodigal Son

Tomorrow would be Robbie Keane's destiny as he returns to White Hart Lane for the first time since he signed for Liverpool in close season. Expect a jeers or two from the faithfuls.

He scored plenty of goals for them and was a team member that famously beaten Chelsea in last season's Carling Cup final. He was loved, calming influence he is but he had to leave Spurs for a taste of Champions League, big boys playing ground. Spurs won't get him there.

So he left and had scored 2 goals thus far in Champions League. A tinge of regret? Do not think so.
He has yet to score in EPL and what better place to open your account at the Lane. They will never forgive him though.

A happy return for a prodigal son?

Mister Rotato

The season is 38 game long and we had just breached the quarter mark.

It is imperative that the squad is rotated regularly to endure the marathon. Jose did it, Sir Alex also did it to perfection.
Last season, at times SAF made as much as 5 changes to his team for midweek matches or after European exertion. Results? A double joy, EPL and Champions League medal safely tucked away in his safe deposit box, I presume.

The level of play understandably will tone down as these squad players hardly play together.
This was evidenced in Pompey game the other day as Rafa rested 4 regulars after high octane Chelsea's win. Sluggish and yet the Reds still registered a win. Rafa was vindicated. Marvelous.

I'm with you for this one, Senor.

Mister Rotato anyone?

An Older Dirty Harry

A scene at the Lane?

Hassan Wenger must be mad. 2 goals to the good, 4 minutes into injury time and Arsenal let Spurs clawed back to snatch an unlikeliest 4-4 draw. Harry too added a few more grey hairs to his already less than black mane.

Spurs on the ascendancy? Maybe, if that's a yes, that sounds trouble for Liverpool this Saturday.

I was spot on not expecting flurry of goals yesterday. So there were plenty of squad players trying to woo the Boss. Although some slick moves still visible in the early part, the final pass was disappointing. Babel and Pennant were guilty of lost possession times and again. Babel, I still think is better as an impact player.

Bottom line, we still won. 1-0 is still a win, like Chelsea of old.

Be wary though, Spurs got their spur it seems with an older Harry at the helm.

Cause for concern? Nah...still think Liverpool are too good to be denied victory like Arsenal.

Dirty Harry

His son once captained Liverpool in the 90's during the Spice Boys period. Jamie (pic) later joined Spurs where today his dad is managing the boys in white.

How ironic that in the space of 4 days we are intertwined with Harry? Today the Reds will face Pompey, Harry's former club and on Saturday we'll march to the Lane to cross sword with his current club Tottenham Hotspur. By design? Maybe.

Torres not playing again today. No live telecast. Boring.
Good sign that Nando not playing? Maybe. Dunno. We beat MU and Chelsea without him, didn't we?

The lads look settled. We'll miss Nando for sure, not his goals though as on current form K&K can depended upon to weigh in a goal or two.

Pompey will miss a father figure in Harry, lost the plot and surrender meekly to the table topper. Don't expect avalanche of goals. A tight 2-0 to Liverpool, enough to enjoy life at the top.

A title charge? If not now, when?........

Red Faced Blues Part 3

The bubble had burst. 4 years and 8 months and it all broken by a deflected shot. Massive.
It's not statement of intent anymore. It is real. We are in with a shout for that elusive title.
There were so many positives tonight. Need not elaborate much. Masterful.

A perfect 90 minutes ever by Liverpool by million miles. Funny thing is we won against the other big 3 without Torres. Fernando's fault maybe?

9 games in and we are at the top. Pompey next to feel the full brunt of the Reds might.

In the end, it was Red-faced Blues.

LG-Life is Good

Sorry bro, this one is mine.

One fact remains- the LG (Lamps and Stevie) partnership just does not work for England. Both are vital cog for their clubs but whenever paired together they just failed to click.

That brings us to Battle at the Bridge. Sunday 9.30 p.m. Massive. Top of the table clash. Who'll be on top of who?

This one will be tight.It's a done deal that Rafa will play 4-5-1, play not to lose. What's interesting is both teams will play a similar set up with one holding midfielder, Masch and Mikel respectively.

The key will be stopping marauding fullbacks in Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa. The latter, I think is the best buy of the season. Countless goals have been scored from his powerful runs on the right. Cole is not that dangerous, Arbeloa is no push cart either. It's Bosingwa that matters. Think Riera will cope just fine while launching few runs of his own.

Centrally, it'll be Lamps & Deco against Stevie and Alonso. Not much room to manoeuvre.

Who'll shine on that day will determine the winner. Hopefully, it's the Reds.

Red Faced Blues Part 2

Didn't write much about Tico game the other day.

Sure, it was disappointing to let Tico escape the jaws of defeat so late in the game but it was not important enough to dwell on. Even Rafa had trained his sight on the Battle of the Bridge.
The qualification from CL is almost sure with 2 home games coming up. A draw at the Calderon is good enough considering a flurry of substitutions made and a negative tactics employed by Senor Goatee. Downside was the inability to convert chances that were created.
Suffice to mention that we did miss Torres and fringe players will remain as that. They're not good enough.

Back to Chelsea game. This top of the table clash is the one that matters.

Last season we met Chelsea 5 times. 2 in BPL, 2 in CL and the odd one in Carling Cup.
Not a single win. Zilch, zero. Close but not close enough.

How about this Sunday's game?

Man for man, Chelsea is better. They have a better squad. Their fringe players showed up when needed unlike many in our camp. They have not lost at the Bridge in all competition for more than 4 years. Well, records are meant to be broken. Every dog has its day, so they say.

Statistics will suggest that Liverpool will start as an underdog. Think that will suit us just fine.
Rafa will play not to lose I'm sure. Torres will again be missed up front so it'll be K & K to the fore with Kuyt on the right.

Upset the form book then Liverpool will be regarded as genuine title contenders.
Will it be a Red faced Blues or is it Red turned Blue after Sunday? Hope it's the former for heaven sake.

So Mr. Gerrard and Co, prove them wrong please. I want to believe.

Singing in the Rain

As utusanlfc said, the Reds love to do it the hard way. Always.
Conceded silly goals along the way but finally collect another 3 points.

As if by design, 3 tackles on Alonso, 3 red cards and 3 wins.

Liverpool's win today recorded many first. Riera scored his first goal, Kuyt managed to score in 3 consecutive matches also for the first time in his Liverpool career.

Thought defense was poor today. Even the normally dependable Carra was run ragged by Zaki. Agger, responsible for the 1st Wigan goal, made amend with that amazing run and cross for Kuyt's opener. How we missed Skrtel!!

With Chelsea routed Boro 5-0 earlier, it's do or die. Had we lost today, it could be disastrous with next week's visit to the Bridge.
We created many chances but made as many mistakes at the back. Living on the on the edge with Dossena looking shaky at times trying to halt Valencia's run on the right.
Likewise, Pennant was on song and roasted Figueroa left, right and center and fittingly it was him who set up Kuyt's winner.

What encouraging was how Benitez withdrew both fullbacks and sent in front players in search of the winner. That was bold. Amazing.

Sadly, Keane is still searching for his 1st EPL goal. Maybe he has taken Kuyt's mantle???
Maybe when Torres is back, pair him with Kuyt instead and start with Pennant. Maybe bench warming could do the trick for Keane. Who knows, kinda like sabbatical.

For now hats off to Kuyt, he has earned his right to sing in the rain.

Hell-key Return?

What a timing?
On the eve of tonight's do or die match with Wigan, stories are abound that the Reds are courting one time Anfield supporting cast, Emile Heskey to shore up its attack most probably during January transfer window.

Me, kinda like flabbergasted. Heskey? They must be kidding.
We already have a 'goal shy' striker in Kuyt, another one?

This tall, dark not so handsome guy to provide cover for Torres? Sorry, he's well past it dude.
Maybe, it is a mind game by Steve Bruce!! Do not fall for the trap.

Eager Beaver Agger

Thought Agger played poorly when Liverpool faced Standard Liege in Belgium. That single dismal show led to him being benched by Senor Goatee till now with the exception of Carling Cup tie against Crewe. He did score in that match too.
Not even a single appearance even as a substitute in EPL and CL.

Remember when he was idolised season before last and last season until that freak injury?
He scored the only goal against Chelsea in that epic CL semifinal, didn't he? He was Carragher's partner, he was steady, he was a rock until that injury.

And then came Skrtel. This lad never looked back. I like his hitman like persona. Menacing.

When the team floundered during Christmas period everyone was saying how Agger could have made a difference. How he could bring the ball out out of defence. And a host of other possibilities. We missed Agger, said the romantics.

Suddenly, Agger is missing from our radar. Skrtel and Carra made the position their own, not without merits though. Together, they were fantastic duo.

My immediate thought when Skrtel was stretchered off was kinda like....who's coming to replace him? Agger or dear ol' Hyppia.

As if as an answer to Rafa, Agger scored in midweek for Denmark.
Yes, he has a sweet left peg and a tremendous header too. Useful in set pieces as does Hyppia.
Carra is like a Table Mountain, solid but never a goalscorer. He only manages 1 in every 100 games.
Hyppia's ratio is the best amongst them but he's getting old. Ballack was a second too quick for him last season resulting in a Lampard's penalty that condemned us in that fateful CL semis.

On current form, Carra is a sure pick. Who to partner him against not so bad Wigan? Mind they have a resurgent Heskey and a very mobile Amr Zaki spearheading their attack.
Agger or Hyppia? Rafa has all the answer.

My pick, one Eager Beaver Agger.

Reds Reunion Part 2

Hamstrung!

It's Vicente Calderon after all.

While Torres is granted his wish to be reunited with his former teammates, sadly he'll be there as an active spectator only. What a shame!

The Reds Reunion film will be short of a leading character. I was imagining a scene when Torres scores a goal and not celebrating it as mark of respect. How poignant! Classic moment.

Now, it'll be just dreams. Millions of people will be robbed of a possible classic moment by a thing called hamstring.

Reds Crocked

I hate international breaks!
Seems Liverpool are jinxed when it comes to international weeks. Now, Torres and Babel are injured after turning out for Spain and Holland respectively.

Torres has recaptured his old form after a slow start and now he's injured again! Maybe 10 days or so.
He'll miss Wigan, Tico, Chelski and maybe Pompey too. 4 hard matches and Liverpool have to rely on Keane, Kuyt and possibly Ngog for goals. Hardly a prospect, I'd say.

Sure, Liverpool beat MU the other day without Torres and Gerrard. That could be a one off.
One has to remember, evidently whenever Torres plays he brings out the best from the other strikers. His assists, his runs and importantly his goals and now he's gone.

Apart from Christmas' fixtures, these 3 EPL games are so near to each other. Lose any and you'll find the losing side playing catch up.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that finally Keane and Kuyt will step up to the plate.

Another Stevie G heroics maybe?

Reds Reunion Part 1

Update

It will not be at the Calderon. Tico been handed 2 match stadium ban for crowd trouble during OM match. Their coach too.

Vicente Calderon Oct 23, 2.45 a.m.(M'sia)

Torres will be back at his old stomping ground while Luis Garcia and Florent Sinama-Pongolle will be reunited with former teammates when Liverpool take on Atletico Madrid in Champions League fixture.

I think it will be weird. Torres was Atletico's youngest captain while King Luis will always be remembered for that 'ghost goal' against Chelsea. I'm sure, that goal will be debated until kingdom comes, similar to Geoff Hurst's goal-line bouncer. Pongolle had limited time at Anfield but nevertheless can count the experience as enriching as he is now flourishing in La Liga.

But they're professionals. Friendship counts for nothing in football.

They know what at stake. Top of the table clash to decide group champion. Massive.
Pretty sure that this 2 will proceed to the next round at the expense of OM and PSV.
Atletico have yet to visit Marseille, Liverpool won the clash 2-1 earlier and OM are pretty tough at their own den, Stade Velodrome.

Reunion aside, this encounter should make an interesting watch.

Bumbling Bramble

What is it with Titus Bramble?
He scores an own goal with Newcastle and Wigan, beautifully too, season in season out. He is so error prone that he was dumped by Newcastle together with his partner in crime, Jean Alain Boumsong.
He was and is condemned by many pundits as bumbling, a clown of sorts.

Yet, what's mind boggling is whenever he plays against Liverpool, this bloke is transformed into a Franz Beckenbauer. Calm and collected. He even scored against Liverpool last year at Anfield, at the right end that is.
He rarely puts a foot wrong in those games, whether at JJB or Anfield.

Will he continues the mean streak come Saturday?
Hope he's not, for Liverpool need to win to catch up with Chelsea.
Whoa..this is massive given the current international breaks. A win will put the Reds in good stead ahead of Atletico and Chelsea encounter later on.

No possible explanation but maybe he touched that famous 'This is Anfield' sign for some special powers? Talking about divine intervention.

Ballon D'or

In recent times, fellow Liverpudlian Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard have won Ballon D'or, the accolade for European Footballer of the Year. Gerrard won it for his heroics in leading the Reds to pip AC Milan on penalties, having been down 0-3 at the break in Champions League Final 2005, now famously dubbed as the Miracle of Istanbul.
Owen, now with Newcastle topped the poll due to Liverpool's Cup treble in 2001 and also partly to his hat tricks for England against Germany in Munich (WCQ 2002).

Top players for 2007/08?
The usual suspects are Argies' Lionel Messi, MU No 7 Ronaldo and our own Fernando Torres (pic).

Merits?

1. Messi won nothing with Barcelona while grabbing gold in Beijing Olympics with Argentina.
   
2. Ronaldo won EPL and CL with MU. Nothing with Portugal internationally.
3. Torres won nothing with Liverpool domestically but won Euro 2008 with Spain, scoring the solitary goal in the final against Ballack's Germany.

So who would win Ballon D'or?

I'm rooting for Torres, not just because he is a Reds but the importance of that solo goal that led Spain to it's first title since 1964.
That is a sure 'Tan Sri' in Malaysia given its importance. Hey...Shah Rukh Khan was bestowed a Datuk for filming a 2-3 minutes shot in Malacca. Not sure he can pronounces it correctly.

Messi's Olympic gold is diluted as Olympics football is confined as U-23 tournament while Ronaldo is nothing outside Manchester.

It would be a disaster of sorts if Torres is denied victory. The stats speak for itself.

Riera Recall

Yup, latest news. Albert Riera, our left flanker was recalled to don Spanish colours for the upcoming WCQ. He replaces Diego Capel who's injured.
Riera, bought from Espanyol is the fifth member of the now famous Liverpool's Spanish quintet. Other members are Reina, Alonso, Arbeloa and Torres.
Guess, playing for Liverpool has its merit. You tend to be monitored more by the selection panel.

However, Riera will not be out of place. He's been there before. His Liverpool career so far had been solid, not spectacular. Though yet to score, he gave the team extra dimension over left hand side, combining well with Dossena or Aurelio. I'd like to see more crosses from the byline like those in Man C game. Too bad, those were met by Kuyt. What a pity!!!

Malaysia also had a famous singing quintet many years ago, The Quinary M. Anyone remembers them?