Wednesday 29 September 2010

Toffees or a Marriage Made in Heaven?

29 Years ago today my hero and the best football manager the world has ever known left us. Earlier this year I wrote a guest blog for www.hetoreahamstring.me.uk depicting how I came to support the Mighty Reds.

Bill Shankly was a big influence on me being as fervant a supporter as I am - I therefore dedicate that blog to him, Mr Shankly.


"Liverpool was made for me and I was made for Liverpool."
Very much so Mr Shankly, You'll Never Walk Alone.

Read the the blog here: Toffees or a Marriage Made in Heaven?

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Optimism - misplaced or displaced?

So Rafa went. I didn’t want him to go but it was either him or new owners so it was a no brainer. Good bye Rafa and good luck.

So Roy came in. I didn’t want him but it was either him or new owners so it was a no brainer. Hello Roy and good luck.

I hope you’re getting my drift.

On the 17 July as a normally optimistic person I tuned in to watch Roy’s new Liverpool, albeit with an under strength squad, take on Al-Hilal. Of course the rain in Austria delayed Roy’s first game in charge.

Since then we’ve managed to scrape past Trabzonspor to gain a place in the Europa League; were unlucky not to take 3pts from Arsenal after a terrible first half performance; got slaughtered at Man City; beat WBA and scraped an “attractive 0 – 0” at Birmingham. Oh, and of course, we made a ‘profit’ in the window.

My optimistic self tells me that the new additions to the squad need time to gel and settle in and the old hands need to get used to what Roy wants of them.

Therefore on Thursday, with more or less a full squad to choose from, we can expect to see Roy’s strongest 11 starting against Steaua Bucharest ahead of Sunday’s game against the Manc’s ‘Howard Webb 12’? No?

Somehow I think half a dozen of that strongest 11 (who knows what that is?) will be getting to know each other in the stands.

There it goes again, the optimism, displaced and right out of the window.

Why am I feeling this way? And I can see by reading other tweets that I’m not alone feeling this way.

The reason for me is simple and showed in the City and Birmingham games in particular. Roy got it wrong. Fair enough, early on in a new job he’s finding his feet, but when it was clear early in both games why did he not change it? To compound that with his “Attractive 0 – 0” statement, well I’m sorry it is not good enough Roy.

I tweeted in angst on Sunday during the game that:

“It looks like Roy is bringing LFC down to his level rather than rising to the challenge of managing a top team”

I see no reason to change that opinion. Roy’s level by the way, in my opinion, is distinctly mid table and I fear that’s where we’re heading.

Pick a strong team on Thursday Roy. Help me replace my optimism in my team. I know it’s not your fault and as our manager you have my support and YNWA.

As for renewing my optimism in the club, well that’s a no brainer. That is until we can say goodbye and good riddance to Hicks & Gillett and say hello to new owners. Now there's optimism for you!