Winning smile may help get back old flame
WHEN Alfred, Lord Tennyson, wrote that 'In spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love', he clearly wasn't living in Liverpool.
For it's only as autumn approaches that a Kopite's loins begin to stir, as he contemplates the advent of another football season, bringing with it the prospect of a heavenly coupling of the Premier League title and the Anfield trophy room.
Of course, for the last 18 years harsh reality has seen us cuckolded by those East Lancs Lotharios and the capital's Casanovas; so is there any reason to be hopeful that we may at last clutch that fickle mistress to our collective bosom?
The evidence offered by the pre-season friendlies has been broadly encouraging.
I've always thought these games are like unwrapped Christmas presents; you don't really want to look as it'll spoil the surprise, yet you can't help but take a little peek to see if it's worth waiting for.
So I compromise by watching them on the telly, often recording them and fast-forwarding through to the good bits. You'll be surprised at how much of the pattern of play you can pick up using this method, though it can be deceptive as Sami Hyypia appears to sprint upfield like a young gazelle.
Nevertheless, though the quality of the games has been variable, there have been definite signs that there is room for optimism that, at last, we may be approaching April next year looking up the table rather than down it when contemplating our finishing position.
The biggest boost has surely been the acquisition of Robbie Keane, our best signing since, oh, this time last year. A proven Premier League goalscorer, hard-working, pacy and inventive; the perfect package marred only by one of the worst goal celebrations ever seen in modern-day football. Hold the girly forward-roll, Robbie, and pack away those pistols, and another Kop love affair will surely blossom.
The youthful Ngog has shown a refreshing willingness to run at defences and seems to pack a tidy shot, and will undoubtedly give us a laugh at away games this year as PA announcers find various ways to pronounce his name.
And could it be that, in Cavalieri, we have finally found a reserve keeper who doesn't fill us with panic when the ball drops in his area, or dooms our chances of ever winning the League or FA Cups again?
As for the new full-backs, well, I'll come back to you on them, if I may.
It's beginning to look less and less likely that Gareth Barry will be joining the influx, despite Rafa's insistence that somebody who is 'English, left-sided and can play in a number of positions' will shortly be joining.
No-one could accuse you of tapping up there Rafa. While I'm persuaded by Rafa's logic, the thought of losing Alonso is just too much to bear.
Let's play him further forward, and soon we'll be turning down offers of £20m, never mind £16m.
The kids that have been thrown in largely to facilitate the gradual introduction of first-team regulars to competitive action, and cover for the return of the Euro 2008 heroes, have laid down a marker that they won't be easily packed off to Burnley and the like, with Darby, Spearing and Plessis all impressing.
For me, though, the best prospects are Nemeth and Pacheco, who may be a season or two away from making a real impact.
Whatever happens, we know the fans will play their part.
Having just been voted the best-looking fans in a survey for Sky HD, maybe a winning smile is all that's needed to bring the Premier League temptress to heel.
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