Folan's Folly

Sure, life sucks for all of us, Liverpool fans now. We are winning but MU are winning too.

2 weeks ago, Villa almost did it. Last night, Spurs led 2-0 at half time. They also almost did it and yet on both occasions, MU escaped by the skin of their teeth. Phew...Cilaka betoi la...

Hull was an expected victim. No two ways about it. Who's that thug Caleb Folan anyway? The way he kicked at Skrtel was unimaginable for a professional footballer. It could be life threatening had the kick was more accurate. Kudos to Mr Atkinson for having an excellent eye vision and rightly to show him the door.

A pat on the back too for Kuyt. Think you deserved it for your 'clinical' finishing. Please teach your other friend Lucas how to do it in Premier League as he hasn't scored yet in EPL. Teach him some other running technique too, jogging sometimes can be hazardous.

A Bridge Too Far Part 2

No heroics act this time, mate. Tough luck!

Mission accomplished. To score 3 goals or more at the Bridge.
Except that Chelsea should not score any. It's not in the script but that exactly what they did last night, much to our annoyance.

Really, nothing to be ashamed of. Okay, we failed to reach the semis but the performance of each player was outstanding, Lucas included.
To lead 2-0 at the break was something out of this world, giving belief that we can do it yet again but to concede 4 in the 2nd half alone was also something out of this world. When was the last time Reina conceded 4 in a game? Never.
Every time we are in a position to reach the semis, Chelsea snuffed it out.

Rafa's crazy tactics at the the end, going for the jugular was understandable. That's the only reason why Chelsea managed to score 4. Lampard was left alone for his goals though Lucas should have tracked him rather than standing like a statue. Okay, Masch was not around then.

How I wish we only lose 2-1 at home so that Rafa would have played Torres till the end. Or to shut up shop after having 2 goal lead. But in reality, we need 3 clear goals to advance.

Ahhh. forget it. Bring on Arsenal instead. Ohh another thing...Lucas scoring a goal. Deflected or not, still priceless. A collectors item.

Sam's Nightmare Part 2

The best striker in the world

It was a boring match alright for Blackburn did not offer much football. They were outplayed, out thought and everything else negative. Liverpool were supreme and in Torres, we have a complete striker. A magnificent 1st goal with a right foot shot followed by a bullet header. Too bad, he could not complete a hat trick, Rafa saving him for Chelsea obviously.

It could have been more actually. Kuyt (who else), Benayoun, Masch and Torres himself missed sitters to add to Torres' opener. Late goals, trademark of Liverpool this season added gloss to already magnificent performance with Agger and subs Ngog made it into the scoresheet.

SG was left on the bench as a cheering spectator, his services not required in the taming of Rovers and surely those who perished at Hillsborough would give their stamp of approval for tonight's display.

I've told ya, it'll be Sam's nightmare and how true I was.

And I think my father, an avid takraw player in his younger days would be able to teach Kuyt a thing or two on how to head a football into an empty net.

Sam's Nightmare

I'm shell shocked. We all are. What Chelsea did was unthinkable. It's like the Lakers losing 95-0 to the LeBron's Cavaliers. Shocking. Unbelievable.

Yet, life goes on. It's not the end of the world, so they say. Tonight, after Maghrib we'll stuck to the idiot box again, entertaining the visit of Blackburn to Anfield.
In the earlier fixture, we blew them apart 3-1. Alonso, Benayoun and SG took the honours that day while RSC replied for BR.(pic above)

What about tonight? Thought the players would want to get rid of the nightmare soonest possible and return to winning ways. Talking about characters, it's the perfect opportunity for the players to show the world what are they made of.

I'm full of confidence that they will bounce back and condemn BR to yet another defeat. Masch would be back and how I love his presence, and with it put Lucas where he truly belongs, the bench.

Indeed, it'll be a nightmare for Sam.

A Bridge Too Far

There's no place for Lucas even in our 'kampung' team

Crazy. We had not lost in Anfield for ages and yet, Chelsea blown us away.

It's not that we played that bad but Chelsea took their chances well. Liverpool played well only in patches but created very little even after Torres gave us an early lead. Gerrard and Torres were both very quiet, well marshaled by Essien and their defense. In fact, Gerrard was invisible for most of the match.

Sure, Drogba gave hell to our defense but contrary to popular belief, the tie was lost because a tiny difference.
Chelsea had Essien while our Masch was suspended. That was the key. The stability that Masch normally brought to the team was sorely missed. Alonso was less effective thus depriving Gerrard the ball. The much needed commodity against a strong team like Chelsea.

Masch's replacement? You know who...no point harping against a lost cause. Hopeless.
That's how the game was lost. No need to tear your greying hair. No need for Sherlock Homes.
The answer was all plain to see, unless you're Lucas' fan of course.

Aurelio was bad. Dossena was even worse. Babel tried too hard, clumsily as usual. Riera forgot how to play football tonite. Benayoun came on too little too late. Stevie was anonymous.
What else?

3 goals without a reply at the Bridge would be near impossible but not impossible according to fellow blogger, Jo.

Hope the lads could perform some unthinkable things at the Bridge. Yeah...Lucas would not be playing then.

Down to the Wire

Thanks but no thanks!

In the end it was frustrating to watch a supposed team in the running for Champions League berth surrendering their lead so meekly with 10 minutes to go.
Villa are supposed to turn into a hero in my books but all went astray with MU scoring twice to claim 3 points and back to the top of the table. God damn it.....

Exchanging text with Jo, our dreams were shattered when an unknown Federico Macheda, a 17 year old from Italian outfit, Lazio scored with a sublime effort to condemn Villa to 9 successive defeats. Poor Martin O'Neill.
Hats off to Fergie. He has guts to throw a baby into a cauldron of fire. Mind you, Macheda certainly looks older than 17. Maybe that pasta thing, you know.

As it is, both teams are now separated by a single point with MU still to play another game.
Both teams scored very late in their respective matches, lending another twist in the title race.
High drama, action packed, frustration and agony. Recipe for disaster for weakening heart.

We all lived for it and the title race surely will go down to the wire. MU have the upperhand for now but with Liverpool looking so majestic these days, even the bookmakers would have tough time to predict the odds.

It's all going down to the wire. Damn you, Villa for giving us false hopes.

Good Omen Part 2

role reversed last nite

At last, at the very last minute too, Lady Luck flashed her white teeth to us.

Past agony against those teams like Stoke, West Ham came to mind instantly but luckily, timely too, Yossi did us a big favor. Who knows whether his goal is a difference between 18th and 19th title? The only downside is that Mu is still having an upper hand in the title race. Only just, it seems with Liverpool having the momentum.

Playing with panache, Liverpool are steamrolling everybody. I agree with fellow blogger, Jo that the MOTM award should go to the goalpost. It worked 4 times in the 1st half alone, denying Liverpool a bigger win. On other day, it could have been an avalanche of goals giving bigger credentials to the win. Ohh...I forgot, it could have been a draw until Yossi, my least favorite player intervened. With the help of Lady Luck of course.

Tonite, can a Villain turn into a hero at the Theatre of Dreams? Hope Lady Luck will smile again and turn a Devil into something, a pussy cat maybe. Then who knows, things could get more complicated for them, mathematically and mentally.

Looking back at last night's match, Dossena seems to possess a good attacking instinct rather than defending. Zainal Abidin in the making? Most players started in attacking position in the early stage of their career and later played in a more withdrawn role when age is catching up.
Hey presto... Dossena seems to defy that logic, maybe he is more suited to attacking role. Maybe, Rafa transformed him upon realising his failings as a defender. Whatever it is, it worked and had Lady Luck smiled bigger, Dossena could have added another 2 to his collection.

Yossi? Still not my favorite player though.

Good Omen

See the picture. It paints a thousand words. Friends and foes.Calm before storm.

Next week, the 2 captains will slug it out in Anfield and 2 weeks later at the Bridge.
England won alright and seemingly cannot be stopped on their way to South Africa. The Spanish contingent also did a double over Turkey with Anfield duo, Alonso and Riera scoring to condemn Turkey to its 2nd defeat in as many games.

But first, SG & Co have to entertain Fulham at the Cottage. The Cottagers were on their best last week when they gave MU a footballing lesson. Timely too it seems.

Can they achieve a similar feat against Liverpool?
With all systems clicking, that to me is unthinkable.

Spain and England are winning, why not Liverpool? The omen is there for all to see with all the stars maintaining the same momentum of performance during the international break. None were injured too.

Another hammering on the cards?