Rodgers, The Last Man Standing

Louis val Gaal mooted as General Manager or was it as Kenny’s replacement.  Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Band as the back up staff to Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers, Rafa Benitez or was it Hope Powell? She probably has stronger credentials than many of those linked with the job.

With Brendan Rodgers seemingly on his way Anfield the drums are already beating from Liverpool fans that the man in question is out of his depth.  FSG’s decision to sack Dalglish looked uncompromising, but given what we know about the organisation, the decision to bring in Rodgers is in line with the markers the organisation set itself on taking over the club.

Rob Smith of the Daily Telegraph set out four points of action in his column when FSG began seeking a replacement for Roy Hodgson. If one looks at each point one can see that Dalglish was never going to be a long-term appointment and probably only an FA Cup victory may have bought him another season.

By Rory Smith
11:00PM GMT 31 Dec 2010

Youthful

John W Henry and Tom Werner are keen to build the club around a young, ambitious manager, preferably with an attractive style of play and an eye for upcoming talent.

Progressive

FSG's owners witnessed baseball's sabermetrics revolution first-hand with the Boston Red Sox and are determined to run Liverpool in a thoroughly new way. Any candidate will have to be happy to implement new ideas to revitalise a stagnant club.

Adaptable

Damien Comolli, the director of football strategy, would advise Henry and Werner on any change of manager and the successful candidate will need to be willing to work in tandem with the Frenchman on recruitment and long-term planning.
 
Successful

FSG's commitment, they have been at pains to reiterate, is to winning. That is key to their vision for making Liverpool competitive on and off the pitch. A proven record of success may not be necessary, but it will be a substantial advantage.
 
While the Damien Comolli project patently unravelled and the position is rumoured to have been disposed of or at least redefined , one can see that Brendan Rodgers ticks the boxes above.

Liverpool under Kenny produced some excellent performances, but by the same token also produced many lamentable ones too and it appears by the guidelines presented above he didn’t possess the flexibility to move the club forward.  Rodgers with a Swansea team who he geared up to play a cultured type of football with possession and spatial awareness being key factors is as a manager who appears unafraid in bringing through young talent and will as such help FSG restructure the club. 

The owners will have learnt from the last appointment that the next manager has to be media savvy re the Suarez/Evra affair and Rodgers seems to fit quite comfortable in that regard.

Unless Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho or even Jurgen Klopp walked through the Shankley Gates fans were never going to be satisfied.  If ever proof were needed just how far we’ve slipped off from our once grandiose position in world football, then the search for a new manager has shown us to be a club working on the periphery with aspirations of getting back into the big time.
 
What we now need is a period of calm and circumspection after the appointment of what will be our fourth manager in two years.  Anfield legend John Barnes said recently how imperative it is for FSG to select the correct manager this time around.  He said “If the club believes in a new philosophy then they need to stick with it, regardless of how well or badly we do in the short-term,” Barnes said.

A new era under Rodgers?

“If it takes two, three or four years to fulfil the plan then we need to give the club time.
“But it won’t take as long as Liverpool fans have been waiting to see the team win the Premier League. Maybe if a system was put in place 20 years ago we wouldn’t still be waiting to win our first title since 1990.

“If we keep changing the manager, the players or the system every one, two, three or four years, we could be waiting another 20 years.”

“I don’t think Liverpool have had a philosophy of how we want to play,” he added. “They’ve seen which players have done well at other clubs and then gone out and bought them.
 
“With your own philosophy you don’t need to necessarily look at the best players in the world – players Liverpool might not be able to afford.
 
“Rather you can go out and buy a player who will do a better job in your team than they do in their current side but it may not cost you a lot of money.

“They may not be able to get (Lionel) Messi but they can get very good players and with a proper system, which I’m sure the new manager will introduce, they can be successful.”

This is where Rodgers needs to have the courage of his convictions and implement his beliefs and style into the Liverpool psyche, after all pass and move is similarly based on possession and spatial awareness.  Under him one hopes that the likes of Suso, Raheem Sterling and Connor Coady get their chance to flourish.  But more than that, it’s about doing it his way and he deserves a chance - interestingly Pep Guardiola had no track record to speak of when he took over as Barcelona and we must give him space to do his job and a chance to implement his ideas.

Ray Houghton’s thoughts on the task ahead summed it up appropriately.  He said, “He’s a very forward thinking manager, he certainly knows where he wants to go but he has to stick to his philosophy on the game, Houghton said.

“I think he tried to change it slightly when he was at Reading when he was under the cosh and there were problems at the club and it didn’t quite work out for him.
 
“But I think he has learnt from that and the question now is will he be big enough to move the club on. The Fenway Group wanted a young man to come in and now they have got to give him the tools to get on with the job, whatever they may be.

“Buying players has to be a priority for him, there are a few at the club that they are going to shift on and Brendan has got a style of football that hopefully the Liverpool fans will enjoy.”

Good luck, Brendan.
 

REVIEW OF THE 2011-2012 SEASON

How do we quantify or even qualify success in a season where after six years of drought Kenny Dalglish brought fresh success to the club, with a Carling Cup victory and coming inches away from taking the FA Cup Final into extra-time against an overwhelming favourite.

It’s a season that has seen Liverpool beat Chelsea three out of four times; beaten Arsenal once and beat Manchester City over a two legged semi-final.  When Liverpool were good we were very good, but as with many past seasons raising our game against top teams was never the problem.  The problem was and remains dispatching teams from the bottom to mid-table.  Is it an inability to have a big game mentality for all matches or are we plainly not up to scratch?

Steven Gerrard coming back from injury was patently not at his awesome best.  Liverpool are one of the very few teams in British, let alone world football, possessing in Gerrard, Reina and Suarez, undoubted world-class players.  In Bellamy, we possess a world-class talent who from the onset was used as a shock tactic, but in time of need as in the Carling-Cup semi-final 2nd leg produced  performance of stunning quality.

This was the season when Martin Skrtel fulfilled the promise of his first season, usurping Jamie Carragher to become the defensive lynchpin.  Such was his dominance at the back, only Vincent Kompany in my opinion stood above him.  In tandem with Daniel Agger, we have arguably the best defensive pairing in the Premiership when Agger stays fit in the middle of the best back five. Liverpool’s downturn in form in the second-half the season fell hand in hand with Agger’s injury.

The injury to Lucas Leiva left a vacancy so large in the Liverpool midfield that with the failure of Charlie Adam to push on and his subsequent injury, Liverpool were forced, in what transpired to be the most important game of the season, to play Henderson and Spearing against a top class midfield.  With Downing failing to fire throughout the season, Kuyt seemingly no longer a force and the much vaunted strike force misfiring, the challenge for a Champions League place petered out, which is in the end cost Dalglish.his job.

Should we take a reality check and recognise that relative success is all we could have expected given the position we were in when Dalglish replaced Roy Hodgson?  We were eons behind the top echelon and continue to be. Dalglish expenditure was massive, but is relative if taken in terms of the outlay of both Manchester clubs.

What cannot be denied is buying in the wealth of talent the expectation levels rose exponentially, both inside and outside the club, particular amongst the board.  Adam came in off a stellar season with Blackpool; in Downing Liverpool bought what they felt was an all-round player able to be the main protagonist for our supply lines and in addition add to the scoring threat; Henderson was/is seen as a future replacement for Gerrard and Coates came in on the back of the best young player award at the 2011 Copa América.

History may have made us slightly delusional in the sense of thinking we had a right to be up there challenging not just for that elusive Champions League position, but for the title, especially with Carroll and Suarez.  But, no fan could have envisaged us languishing in eighth after the final game of the season, and behind our Merseyside rivals.
 
So, is it a successful season.  My feeling is that it’s been an overwhelming failure as success for us is measured in the league:

• The club’s lowest points total ever in the Premiership
• 6 victories from 19 home league games (Overall winning 14 losing 14 and drawing 10)
• 1904 – the last time Liverpool scored 24 goals in their home league games, albeit 2 less games
• Worst season since 1953/54 season finishing bottom of the First Division
• 47 league goals scored this season - hitting the woodwork 33 times compared to Man City third on the list with 21,  scoring 93 goals, almost double Liverpool’s output.
• Only one player, Suarez reached double figures (11), the next being Bellamy (6)
• 37 points behind the League winners and four behind Everton.

 

Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal all went through season’s of transition where they were vulnerable and if Liverpool were to close the gap they were there for the taking.
 
Man United, having been knocked out early in both European competitions will be expected to buy in a big way as will Man City to consolidate their position as champions, their prime motivation being to create a dynasty.  Even with Chelsea having won the Champions League, their woeful finish in the Premiership means that Ambramovich will definitely unleash the cheque book as will Tottenham and their North London rivals.

As we’ve said constantly on this blog, we have as good a back five as there is in the Premiership with only the top two conceding more goals.  Suring up the midfield will happen with the return of Lucas and further defensive midfield cover will strengthen the defence even further.

An attacking dimension with increased cutting edge is what’s required.  Liverpool require a poacher and midfielders capable of becoming match winners, both on the flanks and from the centre.

Dalglish claimed that this season was a success.  In my mind for this season to qualify as a success would be to see massive improvement and Liverpool gaining qualification to the Champions League next season, thus Dalglish mantra regarding the season being the foundation to lift off will be seen as that of a visionary even under a different managerial regime.

Ratings for the 2011-12 season:

Fenway Sports Group: Listening  to Christian Purslow stating Liverpool were one day away from administration under the previous regime shows just have far we have come under John W. Henry and co.  They gave Kenny enough financial support to enable the team to compete - that we didn’t in the league was no fault of FSG.  I agree with Purslow that the lack of movement regarding a new stadium or re-furnishing Anfield is disappointing as we are falling way behind the likes of Arsenal with regards weekly gate receipts and with Chelsea now looking to move to Battersea and Spurs on the cusp of building a new stadium we must act quickly if we are to regain lost ground.

The lack of leadership provided by the board in terms of its inability to gage the temperature during and after the Suarez/Evra saga was disappointing and one had hoped the action they finally took would stop this public relations disaster ever happening again.  But, the sacking of Kenny Dalglish was, in my opinion, an own-goal of epic proportions, as it appears they’ve learnt little or nothing.  They sacked a club legend with total disregard to the feelings of the supporters of the club and while I’m not saying he didn’t deserved to be sacked (I tend to think he should’ve been given a chance to start the new season), the radio silence in the days leading up to King Kenny’s departure was appalling.   5/10

Kenny Dalglish:  Should be lauded for bringing silverware back to Liverpool for the first time since 2006 in his first full season and leading  the club to the FA Cup Final.  The fact that he has endeared himself to his team is what one expects from a great person.  Andy Carroll seems to be turning the corner after some quality performances towards the end of the season and it was highly noticeable that the first person he thanked was the manager for his support, which says a lot for the team spirit the manager has engendered.

The disappointments were both on and off the field.  First, was his unstinting support for Suarez to the point of damaging the club’s reputation.  The support even went as far as not bringing in a replacement on loan or bringing in a striker even though the owners had sanctioned bringing in someone to fill the void, during Suarez eight match ban and the lack of a goal scoring threat.  Second, his continued intransigence was disappointing, especially regards out of form players being picked while the teams form dissapated while others with much larger claims languished on the bench.

The lack of ingenuity showed in selections was particularly alarming with regards his substitutes.  Defensive on the bench often out numbered offensive counterparts and the lack of youngsters attaining places on the bench was very disappointing, particularly those of an attacking bent.  He also failed to change games with his substitutions often waiting far to late too make changes.  Even bringing success back to us was not enough to save his job and he can count himself unlucky particularly in light of the farce that is Liverpool’s bid to secure a new manager.

But, if Kenny Dalglish can  be accused of anything it’s that his total love for club blinded him from taking on board constructive criticism and that’s where he may have missed the backing and support of the ‘boot room’ which was still in  position in his first era as manager. 6/10

Charlie Adam:  Showed some of his long range passing in flashes, but like some of the new incumbents seem to get swallowed up by the expectations at a big club and failed to shine on far too many occasions.  The jury on whether he can play as part of a two due to his lack of mobility.  If he is to succeed he may have to be assigned a free role with less defensive responsibility.  4/10

Daniel Agger: Another whose absence through injury had a significant impact on Liverpool’s season.  His pairing with Skrtel meant that there was no room for Jamie Carragher while he remained fit.  His ability to run with the ball out of defence allowed Liverpool to have four defenders capable of adding something to the attack and he has managed to get on the score sheet few times this season showing a potency in the air from dead-ball situations.  His injury situation is a worry and one can only hope that he can get through next season without missing too many matches.  6/10

Fabio Aurelio:  Once again had an injury interrupted season which was a shame for this very talented performer.  It is a case of what might have been for the season and over his Anfield career.  0/10

Craig Bellamy:  Given that he came to Liverpool to play a supporting role, Bellamy has exceeded expectations. From a player who struggles to play two matches in a week because of his chronic knees, his goals have been crucial in season where goals have not been plentiful.  His speed off the mark and intelligent use of the ball still mark him out as a danger in an around the box and dead-ball kicks are amongst the best in the League. Some of his crosses on the run particularly to Maxi were simply as good as it gets.  7/10

Jamie Carragher:  No player epitomies the spirit of Liverpool Football Club more than Carra.  He still gives all in every match, but one could see this season that the end is nigh for this firm favourite.  No longer a first pick, his pace has depreciated to such a level than he often plays a lot deeper.  Didn’t enjoy his most successful season personally as his form suffered before his early season injury.  5/10

Andy Carroll:  His confidence appeared knocked by Dalglish rotation policy.  He suffered from the chronic lack of quality service in the box as opposed to his Newcastle days where the team was built around him. Has had to fit in and it’s only been in the last throes of the season that he and his teammates have been singing of the same hymn sheet.  He looked awesome in his cameo in the Cup Final and continued on against Terry and Ivanovic in the following League game, where he  systematically destroyed the defensive duo.  4/10

Sebastian Coates:  Showed flashes of what we can expect in the future with his long range passes and his scissor kick goal against QPR.  Needs games to get used to the physicality of the English game, but looks fairly combative using his size well in the air.  4/10

Stewart Downing:  Probably the biggest disappointment given he was bought to supply the bullets for Andy Carroll and failed miserably.  It is unbelievable considering how much of the ball he received that he has yet to produce one assist or score a goal, even missing a penalty against Chelsea with goals flying in.  One gets the feeling from his comments that he has failed to get to grips with the expectation levels in regards playing for a big club.  Gareth Southgate intimated as much in suggesting Downing has the talent but not the belief.  In the FA Cup Final, it seem to take an age before he realised it was Phil Neville in front of him before he proceeded to go on the attack.  Another who may need cajoling from to bring his best. 4/10

Jose Enrique: His first half to the season made him a contender for Liverpool’s player of the season. He is strong, intercepts rather than tackles as he reads the game and added an attacking dimension to the left side which compliments Johnson’s attacking nature on the other flank.  His form tapered off alarmingly in the second-half of the season, so much so that he was dropped for the Carling Cup Final and had a nightmare in the FA Cup Final, being partly culpable for the first goal.  Will need his confidence bolstered before the start of the start of next season.  5/10

Steven Gerrard: In an injury ravaged season Gerrard still managed 5 league goals often playing in a more deep lying role.  Would probably be the first to admit that at no stage this season did he enjoy full fitness which was detrimental to a team which needed his experience and leadership, particularly after the injury to Lucas.  Liverpool will need to go into the transfer market to buy a midfielder who can explode from midfield should Gerrard’s injury woes continue and to manage the frequency of his games.  5/10

Jordan Henderson: Didn’t enjoy a very good first season where he was endlessly played out of position.  It seemed to hinder his progression and subsequently his form suffered, particularly in both cup finals.  Even a belated move back to the central didn’t help and one felt some time on the bench may have helped instead of undermining his confidence.  He showed great strength in coming back after the FA Cup Final to score against the same opponents, but he must assert himself on matches if he is to progress, especially if he his given the role of driving the midfield forward.  4/10

Glen Johnson:  Another whose season was broken up by injuries.  As ever he provided an outlet with his brilliant attacking play, where he pushes right up and inside the opposing full-back, as he did to devastating effect in the away league game against Chelsea.  As against Fulham  at Craven Cottage was found wanting defensively, but one felt that as the season reached its nadir his form both ways reached as good a level as any full-back in the league.  6/10

Martin Kelly:  Furthered his education in the first team after Johnson’s injury, and showed he is good enough to fill in for Glen Johnson and could eventually take over the mantle.  Unfortunately, he continued his propensity for picking up injuries and may have to strengthened up before he begins to fulfil his potential. Showed he has an appetite for scoring by getting off the mark against Chelsea in a crucial Carling Cup Cup tie.  5/10 [Jon Flanagan filled in for a time, but may need to be sent out on loan with Johnson and Kelly now in front of him in the pecking order.  4/10]

Dirk Kuyt:  Like Maxi seemed strangely underused this season, especially with new players not living up to expectations and Henderson playing in the position he has made his own. His belated introduction in the Carling Cup Final almost won the game for Liverpool before the end of extra-time.  If this was to be his last season he will go down as a modern day legend who gave everything to the club both on and off the field.  5/10

Lucas Leiva:  The most improved player in the Liverpool squad.  Dalglish struggled to replace him after his injury and has been argued by many that Liverpool’s disappointing league season began slowly unravel after his injury.  We missed his ability to break-up play and be the foil for his attacking colleagues. The centre-halfs certainly missed his protection as the season went on and his return will be a welcome addition with the increase in games with the return to Europe.  7/10

Pepe Reina:  Still the best all-round goal keeping talent in the league.  Had his worse season since he joined the club in 2005.  Made mistakes culminating in the FA Cup Final, but has built enough credit in his personal bank for us to know the season will be an abboration.  5/10

Martin Skrtel: It says a lot for him that he is now the leader of Liverpool’s defensive unit.  He seems to eat up balls in the air with alacrity against any opponent and for me is Liverpool’s player of the season.  He is not a shouter in the Carragher mould, but leads by example and together with Daniel Agger represents a formidable pairing.  He has scored some very useful goals this season and has become more confident on the floor especially with his.  9/10

Maxi Rodriguez: His ghost like runs into the opposing penalty area are unmatched at the club.  The goals against Chelsea testify to his ability to slip by his markers in a stealth like fashion, invariably producing a clinical finish at the end.  His ten goals with limited game time, made it difficult to quantify why he played no part in the FA Cup Final considering his success against Chelsea.  The club will need to replace his goals should he leave as seems likely. 6/10

Jonjo Shelvey:  His loan move to Blackpool in the first-half of the season, where he played behind the striker, showed just how good Shelvey can be in linking the midfield and attack.  He seems on the right track and could yet make up into a top-class midfielder with his technical ability and running power.  5/10

Raheem Sterling: The expectation levels around Anfield when the 17year old came of the bench showed just how much his performances in the reserves have permeated through to the supporters.  In his brief time on the park, his speed, balance and crossing ability was there for all to see.  Let’s hope with Suso we see a tad more of these talents gracing the first team next season.

Jay Spearing: He performed manfully in the absence of Lucas Leiva in being asked to perform in the holding midfield role.  A propensity to lose the balls by going for ‘Hollywood’ type passes when a simple pass was often the easier option.  Had a disappointing game against Mata and Lampard in the cup final, but still has a future at the club as a squad player.  5/10

Luis Suarez: Undoubtedly Liverpool’s most eye-catching performer of the season and the top scorer.  Often carried the the club in the first part of the season with his close control causing mayhem and played a massive part in Liverpool getting to both domestic finals.  He is definitely one of Liverpool’s three crown jewels with Gerrard and Reina, but the incident with Evra blotted his copy book and he owes a lot to Dalglish and the football club.  7/10

An Evening with Mr Rush

So, it was Seth's birthday and what do you get a LFC fan for his birthday? Well luckily for me I got an email that helped me with the decision. A LFC Legends v's FC Zurich Lads and dad's match.

We bought our tickets and last night we went along to Anfield. The evening began as we caught an employee carrying out the European Cup in a bin bag to put it in his boot, he got startled and bashed it in to one of the big gates near the Kop. I don't think it was anything dodgy, but it made us chuckle.

We entered the stadium through the Director entrance, probably the first and last time. We were greeted with drinks and made our way to the Directors Box; It felt so surreal.

The FC Zurich boys came in droves, their youngest being 13 and their oldest at the ripe old age of 79! LFC Legends didn't match their numbers and they had to borrow someone from a charity as their Goal keeper, but he did an amazing job. I will not give you a running commentary like my fellow blogger Kop-Post because unlike him I do not have a photographic memory, plus I was concentrating on staying warm. It was a good match and we won 4-3, with all players from each team having a chance to play. Rushy had not lost it and although he didn't play long, he outshone everyone else. 

The half time highlight was an invitation for a kick around on the pitch, I was utterly disappointed that I had worn heels to the event. Here is Seth loving the experience, excuse the iPhone quality.

Dinner was lovely and we got a chance to meet people on our designated table and talk football. The conversation was dominated by the current affairs of the club and Kenny's departure. I think this had cast a faint shadow over the event and I spoke to some of the LFC employees who said that the Americans had definitely made them feel nervous about all their futures at the club. I think the general feeling is that if you are not performing then you are out; I don't know what this will mean for Adam, Downing and Henderson in the near future?

Both charities gave talks about their current projects and what they wanted from their joint ventures in the future. They were both inspirational and both centred on football and disadvantaged children.

After the speeches it was time for a question and answer session with Phil Neal and Ian Rush and they were both on form and had the whole room listening to the old stories from the pair in their glory days. It was so good to hear from them at a time when Liverpool was making the history that we seem to have been so far from in recent years. Pictures and autographs followed......

Me with Ian Rush

Seth with Ian Rush

Seth with Phil Neal & David Fairclough

The main event was the raffle which had amazing prizes; the top prize was a trip to Kenya with the LFC Foundations and Football is More charities to see one of the projects they have going. Other prizes included a 5* trip to Dubai which I had all my fingers and toes crossed for, and lots of signed memorabilia from the 1st team. 

Another star was the new seasons signed shirt, this was the first one that had been signed and could not be released until the 1st June.  It was a silent auction and Seth spent the whole night trying to talk me into spending an extortionate amount of money on a t-shirt. He gave up when I told him that if he bought it I would auction it for charity too. 

Our table was very lucky and three members won prizes... a framed Shankly photograph signed by the 1st team, the Dubai holiday (not won by me unfortunately), and Seth was lucky enough to win a signed football. I did try and swap the football for the holiday but neither Seth nor the other lucky winner agreed with my reasoning.

If you do get an email regarding any charity events in Anfield I can't recommend it highly enough. The hospitality and intimacy of the whole event was so unexpected and the causes that our club are involved in are so worth while. LFC might not have performed well on the pitch recently but their work off the pitch is worthy of a mention. 

FSG Show There’s No Room For Sentiment

 
Yesterday, a bitter sweet for Liverpool fans everywhere. First, news that Glen Johnson, Stewart Downing, Andy Carroll and Steven Gerrard had been picked to represent England ahead of this summer's European Championships, with Gerrard named as captain with a ringing endorsement from former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson. Then the news that deep down we all had feared, Kenny Dalglish sacked as Liverpool manager. From the moment Phil Dowd blew his whistle at the end of the FA Cup Final Kenny’s goose was cooked.
 
John W. Henry and Tom Werner refused to endorse his candidature for a continuation of his current role having done so a month earlier. Anyone, following baseball and the Red Sox, who are currently going a traumatic season of their own, knows that FSG are quite capable of making ruthless decisions. It seems King Kenny's cross Atlantic journey fell on death ears and it will be interesting to see just how many of his support entourage manage to survive the cull.
 
Not even Dalglish’s legendary status it seems could save him. There is no doubt that he has galvanised the club from whence he found it, almost winning two domestic trophies, but it’s become very obvious that the Liverpool name surnonimous with the Champions League requires qualification as the very least. The world-wide brand which FSG is trying to build through its business requires professionalism at every level of the club and thus the downfall of Kenny began with the Suarez /Evra affair.

The sacking of Ian Cotton et al shows just how unhappy FSG were that the club were held up to ridicule during the affair. Dalglish came across as cantankerous on television during this time and as Liverpool’s league performances became more disparate, his selections became more stubborn. It was as if he was trying to prove a point with Henderson and Downing who both appeared to be woefully out of form at times throughout the season. In addition, Andy Carroll only coming good at the end of the season, and Charlie Adam’s sporadic form added more fuel to the fire to the evidence. As I stated on previously blogs, relying on Henderson and Downing may just cost the manager his job and although it wasn’t the only reason, it didn’t help.

FSG I’m sure would not have wanted to hear about the definition of economics in terms of supply and demand given their outlay over the 15 months. In saying that, we can only hope that they recognise that football is not baseball and a direct correlation cannot be made, because sometimes we need time and this is now Liverpool’s fourth manager in the space of two years and we need a period of consultation, consolidation and realisation that we are up against the financial powerhouses in Manchester and Chelsea.

As Dave a fellow blogger said about the pressure facing Martinez if it is he who follows King Kenny,”Watch the fans turn on Martinez very quickly if he doesn’t start well!”
The Holy Grail is the Premiership and that is the measuring tool to which every Liverpool manager is held up too. The owners obviously felt eighth place was not good enough and that in culmination with the goings on off the pitch meant Kenny’s position had become untenable. Ian Ayre’s comments support this "Results, perhaps, were not where we wanted them to be and that drives the decision," Ayre noted. "We feel it's the right decision and one we have to move forward with, but there's lots of praise and admiration for him.

"We have a big long-term plan for this football club; we've always talked about progress and moving forward. We've made a lot of progress off the pitch, creating a lot of foundations to build the business on and improve revenues, and the next important thing to move forward is football." The manager’s removable can be seen as the final piece before the reconstruction of the club in the eyes of FSG and even if one thinks Dalglish deserved another year, we must move on, although we will never forget King Kenny. Ayre himself, rightly lauded for his financial acumen, should consider himself lucky to retain his position given the lack of leadership, support and advice given throughout after the Suarez/Evra incident.

The club needs to get a manager in a quickly as possible with the European Championship next month and next transfer market important as the owners will obviously want to give financial support to the new incumbent and that person will also want time to move on players. That person must be a manager of the highest calibre as we need to use all the leverage possible to get top players to the club and not lose players like Martin Skrtel. Pep Guardiola comes to mind. Granted he has taken a year’s sabbatical, but a strategic view would’ve been to ask Dalglish to stay on and concentrate his efforts in getting a top four position and use the domestic cup competitions, to blood the youngsters with seniors players concentrated on the League and European competition.

Read anything about Kenny Dalglish the man and one knows we are talking about a class act. His final statement showed that just how much he loves the club and as disappointed as he was his thoughts remained with keeping that club on equilibrium. He will and will always be part of Liverpool FC and that’s why is so difficult to write this because we as a club owe Kenny a debt of gratitude for his loyal service as player, a manager and a man of the people. YNWA

Here’s Kenny’s statement in full from the Liverpool website read as follows:

Despite feeling a sense of disappointment at leaving his post, the Scotsman revealed the pride he has felt at leading the Club over the past 16 months - and thanked Fenway Sports Group for the way in which his departure has been handled.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to come back to Liverpool Football Club as Manager," said Dalglish. "I greatly appreciate the work that Steve, Kevin, the players and all of the staff put in during my time and feel proud that we delivered the Club's first trophy in six years winning the Carling Cup and came close to a second trophy in the FA Cup Final. Of course I am disappointed with results in the league, but I would not have swapped the Carling Cup win for anything as I know how much it meant to our fans and the Club to be back winning trophies.
"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I can say that the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honourable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved and their continued desire to move the football club forward in the same way as when they arrived here.
 
"I would like to thank all of the staff at the Club for their effort and loyalty. I said when first approached about coming back as Manager that I would always be of help if I can at any time and that offer remains the same.
 
"Finally, I want to put on record my heartfelt gratitude to Liverpool's fans, who have always given me and the Club their unwavering support. Without them neither the Club nor I would have achieved anything."
 
Personally, I think Dalglish is unlucky. Yes he has made mistakes, but at least starting the next season could have seen a change fortunes, especially with the lack of quality managers available to us. As Tom Werner re-iterated after his sacking, FSG asked Kenny to fill the breach, "Kenny came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Liverpool Football Club really needed him," he added.
 
"He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him."
 
Christian Purslow who feels Dalglish should not have lost his job, felt that he was let down by the club in not be supported in the Suarez which stated at the time, in terms of the communications, press and diversity offices.
 
Purslow said, the following to the BBC:

"I think it's unfair and unrealistic to expect a football manager to be front and centre on an issue of that kind," he said. "I would never expect my manager to make decisions about communications policy, and a sensible legal matter.

"He should not have been put in that situation. He does not have the training you might need to handle that situation. To judge him for that, I would be astonished if that would play any part in the decision to remove him as manager and if so I would take issue with that."
 
"They invested a lot of money in his team and I'm not sure they've given him anywhere near enough time to make the investment work. It seems bizarre to me to have a situation where you appoint someone for three years and make significant investment and, one year in, lose faith in that.
 
"Kenny came into the club initially to help me and the board behind the scenes and then stepped in at a terribly difficult time in the club's history. The previous manager had been starved of funds, the squad desperately needed investment and he did that.

"Everybody would say he unified the club and made Liverpool a football story again. He made us an attractive team to watch again."

As a supporter I just home we don’t become a Chelsea type club, sacking a manager on a whim because that is and has never been the Liverpool FC way.

YNWA

Season Ends In More Disappointment

<sup>Another disappointing result. Beaten by a team who’ve taken four out of six points from us this season and not one of our supposed rivals.  Eighth in the League and nothing but pride to play for and considering the manager’s comments about overtaking Everton not being top of the agenda, as is he wont this season he decision making was questionable. He decided to go with Maxi, in what was possibly his last game and Carragher, no longer first choice.
 
Liverpool’s were fairly tepid in the first-half with Swansea as they had done at Anfield handed out a lesson in ball retention with Shelvey and Henderson chasing shadows.  The cause wasn’t helped by squandering  what little possession they had with careless passes.  Liverpool’s lack of possession had the added impact of starving Suarez and Carroll  of any quality assists with Downing once again missing in action. 

The lack of quality possession reduced Liverpool to shots from outside the area from Maxi and Carroll , while Doni got down well to save a Sigurdsson drive from a free-kick and Downing blocking from the same playing from short corner.

Liverpool working harder and pressing a little further up the pitch managed to disrupt Swansea’s passing game and began to instil some pressure in the midfield areas. Henderson managed to squeeze off a shot which Vorm saved, but it showed an intention to go forward.  Vorm pulled off another  save soon after from Carroll’s stunning overhead kick. Downing’s was mercifully put out of his misery on the hour, being replaced by Bellamy, in a season when he has failed to deliver one assist in the 2011/12 season. Hopefully next season will see him back to his very capable best.


The failure to dispatch teams when on top as we were in the second-half here came back to haunt us with Graham sneaking to win the game for the home side.  It was a disappointing end to a disappointing league season and leaves Kenny Dalglish and FSG with a lot of soul searching to do in the close season.

Kop-Post Man of the Match: Andy Carroll – never stopped running or showing for the ball.</sup>

Decision Time For FSG

Kenny Dalglish’s comments after Tuesday’s Premiership victory against Chelsea to the BBC were illuminating which ever side of the Dalglish divide you stand on. On one side the comments seemed buoyant and positive and the other nondescript and out of touch with reality.

“We’ve got a bit of silverware back in the cupboard after six years; we’re back in Europe at the first time of asking,” said Dalglish.

“We were near to winning the FA Cup final. Not a bad first season.”

“I think the players will be happy to finish on a high at Anfield,” said Dalglish.

“That performance was on a par with a lot of other performances where we’ve not had the result. Against Chelsea we got that.”

“I have said many times this season how well we’ve played but not had the break to win it,” added Dalglish.

“On this occasion, maybe with Branislav Ivanovic hitting the post for Chelsea early on, we thought we might have got that bit of luck.

“I don’t think it was luck that got us the victory, though. It was a fantastic performance from everyone.

“The two young lads, Shelvey [20] and Henderson [21], in the middle of the pitch were fantastic with the work-rate they got through and both of them scored too.

“It was the same with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll up front, and I don’t know how neither of them scored. Luis was fantastic for our first goal but so was everyone.

“We had a good day and it was an excellent performance.”

Coming on the back of the defeat against Chelsea, four days previously it was very difficult to get elated, especially with Chelsea’s preeminent players either out injured or sitting on the bench.  But four goals against a side with Fernando Torres leading the line was satisfying in away, but given his body language one could only wonder whether he, Kenny and Liverpool supporters in attendance were reminiscing and wishing.

As a Liverpool supporter, this season I was at the semi-final’s and finals of both domestic competitions and one can understand the manager’s pronouncements that this season has been a success because silverware, is silverware, is silverware. That being said, in between the good performances which Dalglish mentions, there have been some of the most dire matches it had been bad luck to see.

We cannot get away from the fact that Liverpool have only won 6 of our 19 home League games.  The four goals we scored against Chelsea bolstered our goals at home to 24, unbelievably our lowest total for 108 years.


Kevin Keegan said, “Shanks said football is a simple game over simplified by people”.  We need to get back to basics and find the keys to unlock the door, whether that is with Kenny or not that is for Fenway Sports Group to decide.

Liverpool Regain A Little Pride

With four changes from the deflating FA Cup Final loss Liverpool went into tonight’s game knowing that regaining some pride against a Chelsea team with 9 changes, but still starting with 8 internationals had to be the prime motivating factor. The final match at Anfield of the 2011/12 season provided the platform for Liverpool to say goodbye to the supporters in a season which had seen just five home Premiership wins.

Following his superb cameo, Andy Carroll returned to the starting line-up with Jamie Carragher, Jonjo Shelvey and Maxi Rodriguez, with Enrique, Spearing and Bellamy giving way.

Liverpool started brightly with Shelvey following on from his impressive display at Blackburn prompting and controlling the tempo from the centre with his crisp passing. That being said, Chelsea should’ve taken the lead with Ivanovic hitting the post from a corner. Two minutes later, Suarez as he had on so many occasions picked the ball on the right before darting past Romeu and nutmeging John Terry and again escape Romeu despairing lunge before his cut-back went in off the retreating Essien.

Terry whose own personal nightmare on Elm Street began with Andy Carroll’s appearance at the cup final looked as if he had been suffering sleep deprivation. Carroll was beating Terry to every ball and his convidence seemingly seeping away as if he was an inexperience youngster. On 25 minutes, Terry resembling Bambie on ice, slipped allowing Henderson a loan run through on goal. Showing the courage of his convictions following his criticism on his cup final display, he capitalized with a cool measured finish past the on-rushing Turnbull.

Andy Carroll kept up the intensity and unlike many nights here previously this season they were tucking away chances with relish. Carroll rose magnificently from a corner to unselfishly head the ball back to the unmarked Agger who headed the ball high into the net.

Agger celebrates and Torres looks forlon (Image: The Guardian)

We were treated to Anfield old and new within minutes. Carroll with his new found confidence, nutmegged Terry leaving him the dead with kind of move which Torres once enthralled the Liverpool faithful, before being cynically brought down. Torres then controlled a pass brilliantly spinning away from defence, before unleashing a cannon-ball like shot crashing against the bar.

Liverpool were now dominant. Two minutes later Downing unleashed a superb dipping volley, from a Suarez knockdown, which clipped the bar leaving Turnbull all ends up. It wouldn’t be Liverpool this season if we hadn’t troubled the woodwork. Invanovic, who was lucky not to be set off in a match with underlying moody overtones remaining from Saturday, elbowed Carroll to the ground just before the interval. Downing, struck the post from the resultant penalty, with Carroll knocking the rebound wide.

The intensity dropped in the second-half understanderbly, which allowed Chelsea to get back in the match with a soft goal from a corner 4 minutes into the second-half from Ramirez. Chelsea’s fight-back was as good as over on the hour with Turnbull’s miskick to Shelvey who from 30 yards hit the ball on the half-volley into the back of the net.

Carroll’s excellence was almost rounded off following a cross of Gerrardesque proportions from Johnson, bending the ball round the defence from out on the right which Carroll met on the volley in full stride, but could only slice wide.

The applause which met Maxi as he moved to the substitutes bench and his returned applause suggested it was the last time this whole hearted player would grace this great stadium. That he was replaced by Kuyt who may also be leaving was poignant. Sterling who also entered the fray almost broke his duck when his sliced a left footed volley wide from a Suarez flick with his first touch.

Whether or not Chelsea hand their minds in between the cup final win and the impending Champions League Final is of no concern. Liverpool produced a thoroughly professional performance in a season which we have fallen short in so many areas.

Kop-Post Man of the Match: Andy Carroll – Dominated England’s premier centre-half for the second consecutive match delivering an all-round perfoamnce which was only missing a goal.

Critical Eye: Carroll and Suarez looked to be linking up nicely and it’s very noticable that his increased confidence has given him a licence to lead by example. His last two performances has shown an increased physical presence which caused havoc in among experience defenders such as Ivanovic and Terry and augurs well for the next season with the right support and encouragement.

Shelvey showed great touch on the ball and his passing helped Liverpool to keep the Chelsea midfield at bay in the first-half. His goal, while not heralded was technically an excellent finish. The much maligned Jordan Henderson showed his strength of character to produce a strong display and put his goal away with cool efficiency.

Liverpool Come To The Party Far Too Late

Being a supporter can sometime skew the opinion one has of a match particularly in a Cup Final. Passion is raised to such a level that rose tinted glasses seemed on be on the faces of mine and all the fans around me.

In the cold light of day, sitting down and reflecting with a dispassionate view of the game, one could see that we didn’t perform until Andy Carroll came on to produce what one hopes was a pivotal turning point in his Liverpool career.

Yesterday, we were patently second best for an hour. The midfield struggled with the movement and running power of their Chelsea counterparts. This was the match, where Henderson and Spearing were found wanting, unable to live with the intricate skills of Mata, who ran the first hour in a fashion which would’ve made his country man Xavi proud. Steven Gerrard dropped back to try to stem the flow such was Chelsea’s dominance, which left Suarez with a lack of support and Liverpool unable to get Craig Bellamy into the game.

In football possession is nine tenths of the law and Mata showed what can be done be probing and delivering telling passes. In contrast, Spearing and Henderson gave the ball away incessantly, and it was their mistakes which led to both goals. It took to long for Dalglish too plug the gap in front of Enrique who was finding it almost impossible to stop the marauding Ramirez. His defending on the first goal was negligible as he was found wanting both physically and for pace. Reina, in what he freely he admits has not been a stellar season personally, may be disappointed with his part in Chelsea’s first goal.

Steven Gerrard unable to turn the tide this time

All being said, Liverpool’s game began in the 55th minute with the introduction of Andy Carroll. He played as a man possessed leading from the front and giving Terry and Ivanovic as torrid a forty minutes as they’ve probably experienced. It was not a performance of a tall striker waiting for ball to be delivered to him, it was the performance of a no.9 leading the line and being the focal point which gave Suarez a chance to come into the game and Gerrard to start running the game from centre midfield with Spearing leaving for Carroll.

Seven minutes after his arrival Carroll produced a moment of sublime skill from the Luis Suarez book of brilliance. The ball broke to him following a skirmish in the box, he produced the dexterity and intricacy of footwork to leave Terry floundering before unleashing a ferocious angled drive past Petr Cech. The rallying cry seemed to come from Carroll whose battery was fully charged. He touched was assured. One moment will live in the memory when he controlled a difficult ball high in the air on the left with a magnificent chest trap to bring the ball under control and lay it off, almost in one movement.

Dalglish substitutions this season have been mostly ineffectual. This was yet another game when Jordan Henderson’s performance was poor to say the least. His indecisiveness and his inability to stamp himself on the game, makes one wonder what the manager and Steve Clarke are seeing that none of are not. With the game there for the taking Dalglish chose to keep him on and take of Bellamy, admittedly who was not having his finest game, but as we all know possesses the ability to change the game in a flash. Henderson is given licence to roam and his attempts on goal were like his all-round player that of a player who needs to be either shipped out or have his confidence rebuilt. As said, in the last blog, the manager’s faith in Henderson and also Downing may cost him his position. The latter who received enough ball to bring havoc to Bosingwa, not a right-back renowned for his defensive capabilities, failed ignominiously.

He chose to ignore the claims of Maxi, who if he’s proved nothing else this season, has showed he has an unhealthy regard for finding the back of the net, especially against Chelsea. In my book is criminal for a team where match winners are not exactly its strong point. This season Dalglish has often seen dominance as an excuse not to make substitutions and something he has to forego next season. He worries too much about the opposition, instead of using the advantages Liverpool has in its squad. Why do we constantly line-up with two holding midfielders as we did yesterday, instead of starting with Andy Carroll and has this held back the strikers progression who has showed encouraging signs over the last few months only to be shown the bench time and time again?

The ‘Big Man’ almost sent Liverpool fans into raptures on the 82nd minute, when he powered a header from a Luis Suarez cross seemingly in to equalise. Unfortunately, Cech pulled off a miraculous save with the ball seemingly still over the line. I sent a text out to David, watching from home, for confirmation as the referee waved away Suarez and Carroll’s appeals. Unfortunately, the resultant reply meant we couldn’t even claim the moral high ground. Chelsea may feel that it goes someway to wiping out the Luis Garcia goal in the Champion’s League semi-final in 2005. Me, I just saw it as another kick in the teeth this season.

A win would’ve been more than welcomed by us all, but it was not to be. It would have masked a feeble season in the league, which would could end up even worse by its close.

Joint Man of the Match: Andy Carroll – Exploded on the scene like a player with a point to prove. He was quite simply immense and was unlucky not the send the match into extra-time. His play on the floor and the air is what all Liverpool supporters have waited to see since his expensive signing. Liverpool Crowd - Lifted the players and almost succeeded with a never say die act of support. YNWA.

Critical eye: The disappointment was it took almost an hour to galvanise a response which is simply not good enough. Once again Dalglish played two holding midfield. They were found wanting, which had the added impact, of affecting not just Gerrard who had to come back to add support, but left Suarez with very little support.

Jordan Henderson: Is patently not a wide-man, but the jury is out as to whether he has the ability to be the dynamic midfielder Liverpool are looking for. Yesterday, he appeared indecisive and panic stricken in possession and lost the ball cheaply which against top class teams will often be punished. In defence, he seemed unable to cope with the top class pass and move nature of Chelsea. Henderson had at least three attempts on goal, but his confidence seems to have hit rock bottom and may need rebuilding in the early rounds of the Europa next season. Drawing comparisons is difficult matter, but Fulham’s Pajtim Kasami who I watched recently at Anfield, makes one wonder how Liverpool have let another youngster escape from their youth team (Tom Ince springs to mind), who seems technically better equipped than either Spearing than Henderson.

Jay Spearing: He has manfully tried to fill the void, in the absence of Lucas, but like Henderson was so out of his depth he was in danger of drowning. It has been noticeable recently, that he will often go for the ‘Hollywood pass’ through the ‘eye of a needle’ which is cut out, when a simple ball in the order of the day. He tried to track Mata and Lampard, yesterday with his cohort but couldn’t live with his talents on display. He may have to go back to being a squad player with the expectant new incumbents and the look for more power and drive in the centre, but given his whole hearted displays will hopefully be kept on.

The dip in form by Enrique in the second-half of the season was bourn out by his ineffectual defensive display yesterday. His failure to get in even a shoulder challenge in Ramirez was disappointing, in addition Reina appeared to be beaten by a saveable shot. Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel all had strong games on a day where protection from the midfield was not there. Glen Johnson was standout attacking player wise in the first-half which says a lot for him.

Liverpool’s game plan suffered because of Chelsea’s dominance in midfield which had the adverse effect of Gerrard being sacrificing himself to play a more deeper role. He controlled the tempo in the last half hour from the middle, interspersed with some glorious cross field balls. Liverpool were not able to get Suarez and Bellamy into the game as much as we would have liked, with Suarez only becoming a major force once Carroll entered the fray. Downing was once again disappointing. His failings in not attacking the full-back and not getting in enough quality crosses summed up his season.

Dalglish: He appeared, as he has the season, unable to change the game once it appeared to be going away from him until with Liverpool 2-0 he was left with little choice. Spearing and Henderson’s inability cope in the centre should have been rectified at half-time and the continuation of Chelsea’s dominance led to the second goal with Lampard turning Spearing to supply the pass into Drogba.

Questions should be asked about leaving Maxi on the bench. Twice the season he has managed to escape the clutches of the Chelsea midfield to ghost in on goal to dispatch chances.

All season, even at home, his first move seems to be defensive in setting up with two defensive midfielders, particularly when we start with one striker, which leads to a lack of goal scoring players on the field. His constant backing of Jordan Henderson smacks in the face of picking players in form. The player is often picked above colleagues with louder claims for a starting place, especially that of Jonjo Shelvey who in the last few weeks combined a defensive bent with his natural attacking flare.

The lack of midfield creativity, pace and power in the engine room of the midfield, can only be pointed at the manager, inability to buy the correct players and also to bring through younger players. As Paul Lambert stated recently, “If you don’t give someone the opportunity, then how do you know?”

Financial Closure of The Disastrous Hicks and Gillett era - New Anfield

By dedlfc (Dave)

The financial restraints we all find ourselves in at this time puts all the talk of major financial losses into true perspective but my analysis looks at the positive light at the end of the tunnel.

When Hicks and Gillett first took over to the fanfare of what we now know to be false promises of a new stadium, we were all boasting that we were gonna go onto bigger and better things.

The reality of the falsehoods from our previous owners was that they lacked the required funding to make the dream a reality and also faced the embarrassment of having Gillett make his infamous "spade in the ground within 60 days" speech.  The stadium never had any real chance of being built.


With the announcemet yesterday of £49.4m losses for the last financial year, it could be deemed as a bad day, but I look on it as a day to finally close the chapter on the inept reign of our previous owners.

Of the debt, £35m of which relates to the extortionate (Dallas based) HKS design fees, legal and admin costs with saw these futuristic but ultimately fruitless stadium plans written off. 

Fortunately, the predicament the club found itself in when FSG first came on board in October 2010, was eased substantially given the fact that they wrote off £200m of our original outstanding debt, although they had to hold back money for the outstanding unpaid fees.  The threat of UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations on the horizon has not dented our future intentions to a viable fight for a Champions League place in future seasons, as the debt was not counted against us as it was not seen as part of the "break even" calculations made at the time.
  
The other exceptional item listed on the losses today was the total cost,  £8.4 m, of hiring and firing Roy Hodgson and his backroom team.  The total figure also included the "settlement figure for termination payments" to be made to Christian Purslow and the temporary chief executive Martin Broughton who both stayed on to oversee the sale of the club to the FSG.
    
The final major item which our managing director Ian Ayre also stated 18m in unspecified further costs which were not elaborated on.

In summary, the losses were worth taking, especially the payments to Purslow and Broughton, as we now have a relatively clean slate and are benefitting from John W. Henry & co having a more pragmatic and wiser look at the whole picture rather than the flamboyant and arrogant false promises of Hicks and Gillett.

Liverpool 0 Fulham 1

On a day when former Liverpool manager, Roy Hodgson was confirmed as the new England manager, Liverpool’s stock under Kenny Dalglish fell even lower to one of Hogson’s former teams.  Dalglish said Cup Final places were still up for grabs.  If this was an audition for the provincial show to move to the West End, the manager woefully misinterpreted his underlings talents to move up to the big stage.

In matches like this one expects the likes of Jordan Henderson, who the manager has shown an extended amount of faith in, to be a cut above the competition.  Instead, he and Spearing produced performances which had fans in the Anfield Road End, shaking their heads in disbelief.  Passes, not for the first time this season, were failing to reach there intended target even from 10 yards.

All Gone Wrong!

The level of respect for the manager has led fans to believe that Henderson will be the future replacement for Gerrard, but right now he might well be a major factor in Dalglish being replaced eventually.  He was rightly replaced at half-time, but so has been the level of trust placed in the young man, that it would not be a surprise to anyone if he were being rested for the final.

Liverpool had chances, with Shelvey having a shot cleared off the line.  Fulham played with a level of assuredness on the ball which belied the fact they were the away team. The clear cut chances fell to them and had they been more precise with their finishing, we could have been a tad more embarrassed.  Shelvey, had a reasonably good first half, compared to his midfield colleagues. But he like the rest of the team faded away alarmingly in the second-half, so much so that Fulham kept for ball comfortably in patches.

Aurelio’s left foot briefly reminded us of what mind have been had he stayed fit, but one wondered with the door to his Anfield career about to be firmly shut, wouldn’t gain time for youngsters be the more prudent approach.   Dalglish might be disappointed with the players attitude, but one of a catalogue of his failures this season has been an inability to change the face of game.  Bringing on Enrique to replace Aurelio said it all, we needed attacking verve and instead we got decision making stuck in the same old groove.

The biggest cheers of the night were for Riise and Murphy returning to their former home and for Raheem Sterling entering the fray 14 minutes from time for Dirk Kuyt. He produced two excellent crosses in the time he was on and provided a vibrant threat level little seen in the second-half.

Dalglish, speaking to the BBC said, "I don't think it can be described as a performance,"  "The attitude was very poor.

"I think we got what we deserved from the game and that was absolutely nothing. If you don't approach the game properly you're not going to get anything.

"I take part of the blame because I thought I was being fair to everybody by giving them the opportunity to get some minutes on the pitch," added Dalglish. "The game coming up on Saturday is important to the club."

We may not have heard this level of disappointment from him this season, but surely this is patently down to him. Second team or not, 5 wins at home is not good enough for any team in the Premiership let alone Liverpool football club and as has been said by others managers’ have been sacked for less. Ask Roy Hodgson…

Kop-Post Man of The Match: Doni… says it all really…

Critical Eye: Yet again another team has come to Anfield, to win for the first time in their history. And once again to sit amongst the throng and watch my fellow supporters empty the stadium before the end was sad.  Ever sadder was to hear the half-time announcement “Stoke 0 Everton 1 and almost at once the air in the lungs of Liverpool supporters flow out as their lungs simultaneously deflated.

The atmosphere were mostly dead.  The second time in the last three years I have come and heard Fulham supporters shouting “Is this a Library… and where your famous atmosphere”.

The Cup Final now becomes our most important match in years.  It can make a mediocre season seem more palatable or we can be made to look pathetic with Torres and Meireles celebrating at our expense and eulogising over the fact that they were correct to leave a sinking ship.