A Christmas Cracker is being pulled early as we finally meet the Gunners again in the first game since our memorable 4-2 home victory in the 2nd leg of last seasons Champions League 1/4 Final. The match means so much for both clubs as Liverpool hope to continue their best start to a EPL season whilst Arsenal really need the win to get their challenge up and running again. Like Liverpool they are currently blowing hot and cold but as we have seen so far this season they can pull a result out of the bag when their backs are against the wall, just ask Chelsea.

Liverpool will however find this match a major test of their title credentials with many people predicting a Christmas or New Year collapse which has haunted the club during the past number of years. Arsenal have not lost at home to a fellow ‘Big Four’ club in nine matches. They have won five and drawn four against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United since a 0-2 reverse to Chelsea on 18 December 2005. We ago to the Emirates hunting our first league win in nine attempts at Arsenal. Our only victory in 10 visits was on 13 February 2000 when Titi Camara scored the only goal of the game. Last years corresponding fixture saw a 1-1 draw with Crouch opening the scoring in the first half for The Reds which was cancelled out by Bendtner in the second.

Looking at the possible squads for Sundays game shows that the game has some extra meaning for a few players. If selected (ha ha) Jamie Carragher will be making his 550th club career appearance. As for The Gunners if on from the first whistle Glichy will be making his 100th start for his club.

Liverpool can feel very fortunate to be still sitting top at this point of the season especially after drawing three of their last 4 EPL fixtures. However we all would have took this position if it had been offered to us at the start of the saeon so we really need to rally the troops for 2009 and hopefully push them towards our first EPL title. 

Managers Quote Of The Week.

I’ve seen them on television on a Sunday morning most days of the week.

Thank you Mr Jack Charlton for this insight into what made the Republic of Ireland select you for manager - they really did think you were having a bit of “mad craic on the black stuff” when you thought up this beauty.

3 mins to go - drawing 2-2 with Hull, a chance to go 4 points clear at the top of the EPL - we need a goal, we need a goal. One sub to make - who’s on the bench, who could get us a goal? Lets see Lucas or Robbie, Lucas or Robbie - yes def - Lucas - on ya go son your the man for the job

WHAT IS GOIN ON !!!

We spend a fortune on two strikers and end up on Saturday leaving one of them on the bench and when a goal is required Rafa puts on a midfielder who has yet to score in the league this season. I know we are still top and I do think Rafa is a good manager but sometimes his decision making leaves me completely baffeld as well as everybody at home and in Anfield watching the match. Saturdays goings on has made the whole transfer of Robbie Keane a complete shambles and quite simply a bit of an embarrassment, especially for Robbie. Obviously Rafa has lost faith with his new player if he thinks that Lucas had more chance to get us a win.

So what does this mean for Robbie Keane. Is he going to be off-loaded in January for a loss or will he be given more time to prove himself. I personally believe that he should be given more time but a lot of people seem to be losing faith with his abilities. I thought he had a decent game against PSV in midweek and was directly involved in some of the goals. So why did he end up with splinters in his ass from the bench on Saturday. he couldn’t have been injured or else he wouldn’t have even made the bench, so as I have said confusion reigns in my eyes. If you are not going to play him or put him on and that particular time of a game when we need a goal then what is his purpose at the club?

Answers on a postcard please to 26, I Don’t Know Whats Goin on Street, Anfield, Liverpool.

Easy, easy, easy - another 3 points tomorrow without a doubt. Hull City ?? sure they only got promoted last year. How can they be expected to come to Anfield and leave with anything other than a good whipping? - Answer - because they are far from the cannon fodder that everybody thought they were going to be this season. Phil Brown has done a splendid job with this team to date and on their day can produce some superb performances. Last week they showed that they have a great team spirit and a real hunger to win games even when they seem dead and buried. I don’t think they will do a Stoke and play eleven goalposts as that’s not their style as they proved at Old Trafford. It really is going to be an interesting game.

Rafa has shocked everybody by saying that Liverpool cannot win the title without Chelsea or Man U handing it to them. He is being attacked for saying this but I believe he is playing the press and has learned a few mindgame tactics from Old Blue Nose Fergie. Rafa has 100% confidence that we can beat anyone anywhere if we have a full squad and play to our potential so i would take these comments with a pinch of salt.

However on the other hand - if  we do not beat Hull tomorrow and move four points clear of Chelsea ahead of their London Derby on Sunday many will say that Rafa was only telling the truth !! We go into tomorrows game protecting the longest current unbeaten home record in the EPL. An interesting fact which shows what a good job Hull has done to date is that Both clubs have scored 24 goals in their 16 Premier League outings to date, and both have recouped an unsurpassed 12 Premier League points from losing positions, Liverpool have won four games in which they were trailing, while Hull have won three and drawn three. You have to back a long way to find the last time Hull beat Liverpool - oh sorry in fact don’t bother - they never have. Head to head history shows that it’s nine years since Hull and Liverpool last faced each other with us winning a Worthington League Cup second round tie 9-3 on aggregate. Liverpool won the most recent league clash on home soil against Hull; prevailing 5-3 in the old Second Division on 29 August 1959.

Pepe Reina goes into tomorrows match leading the race for the golden glove due to his 10 clean sheets so far this season. Our defense will have to on their toes however as Hull have scored 15 away goals so far this season, only Chelsea can beat that with their current 21. If Reina walks off with a clean sheet he will be the first keeper to do so against Hull at home - Yes they have scored at least once in EVERY away game so far this season - only Chelsea can equal that !!. Our last two home games have been goalless draws. So we have a team who always score away from home versus a club who have struggled to find the net at home - I will let you make your own minds up about that….and the final score.

Manager’s Quote Of The Week.

If you can’t stand the heat in the dressing room, get out of the kitchen

Thank you Mr Terry Venables - obviously the heat was getting to you when you came up with this cracker..

PS - Happy Birthday to Mr Agger - 24 today - hopefully the players won;t be on the lash tonight celebrating…

I must say I was a bit surprised to find out that Ryan Babel wanted to go out on loan because he was not getting enough first team opportunities at Liverpool. Fair and fine, he has not been playing a lot this season but that is largely due to the form of Riera who has been occupying the left hand side of midfield. It is only natural for every player wants to be part of the first team on a regular basis but Babel should understand that he is part of the squad and will be used when Rafa’s sees fit.
Read the rest of this entry »

What can I say? Great result by the Reds yet again in Europe. Going into the match I was not concerned a lot about this match but last night I decided to put my feet up on the couch and for once watch a Liverpool came without my heart racing. When I saw our starting eleven, I knew Rafa felt the same way as I did about the game and seeing Stevie G sitting in the dugout with his feet up made me even more relaxed. It is always great to see some of the fringe players getting a run and the highlight of the evening must have been seeing the three young lads: Kelly, Darby and Spearing on the field at the same time in a Champions League game.
Read the rest of this entry »

Great result on Saturday! I have a friend who is a Blackburn supporter and I have always made fun of him and ask him, “Why do you support Blackburn of all teams?” So this weekend I had even more reason to make fun of him. In truth, it was a game we should have won on paper but I know trips to Ewood Park are tricky at times so we had to be extra careful. With all the other teams around us having easy games this weekend, we just had to win and win we did.
Read the rest of this entry »

In my opionion things strted off very well after the signing of our new “winger”. He was provided plenty of width on the left hand side compared to Babel who was always cutting inside and never looked as if he was capable of beating a defender to get to the byline for a cross. Lately however we find Riera constantly inside and nowhere near where he was playing when he first signed. He is now constantly found, normally on his ass, closer to Gerrard than ever.

We all know that trying to constantly break defenses thru their heart is the most difficult unless you possess the close passing skills of some of the past Gunner squads. We do not have this luxury therefore we need width to create more room in midfield. Can we please get back to this ASAP before this 0-0 trend continues. Is this just me or has  anybody else noticed this as well?

Liverpool are top of the Premier League! I just had to say that to give me some joy as last nights result was rather disappointing but on the bright side we are now top of the league. It may only be by one point but we are top. Yet again I was left largely frustrated after the game as we failed to score for an entire 90 minutes and this is all happening at Anfield. I think we actually play much better when we are away from home as teams tend to just come to Anfield and defend with all they have. This was the case last night.
Read the rest of this entry »

So thanks to Robin Van Persie Liverpool find themselves presented with the chance to claim outright first place in the EPL. We all know that by rights we should be there and you cannot hide the fact that we have dropped silly points against inferior sides this season which has prevented us from opening up a gap at the top. However we can’t cry over spilt milk and to be honest if somebody had told me at the start of the EPL  we would be in this position, a chance to go 3 ahead of Chelsea and 8 ahead of ManU, at the start of December I would have grabbed it.  Rafa has thrown the gauntlet down to his team and has asked them to show him what they are made of and this is what the team needs to do to fill him and us with the belief that has slighty wavoured the last few weeks. We cannot afford to have another re-run of the home matches against Stoke and Fulham. West Ham need put to the sword from the first whistle. Liverpool let Fulham settle on their recent visit, we need to get in the face of the Londoners right from the start and let Zola and his boys know that their journey up North is going to be a waste of time and money.
Read the rest of this entry »