S.O.S.
It's probably a bit early to write off our Premiership chances completely as I think this year the points total to win it may be a bit lower. The improvement Spurs have shown and the advent of Man City may mean the so-called Big Four don't have things all their own way. That said, last night's performance against a mediocre Villa side does not bode well for things to come.
As against Spurs, Liverpool especially in the first half, offered nothing except a completely flat, pedestrian performance. The early promise and chances created fizzled out and then when Lucas needlessly fouled Petrov just outside the box then obligingly headed the subsequent free-kick into our own net you knew it was going to be one of those nights.
Just before half time you could see Villa's second goal coming. Shocking marking from a corner and we were two down before the interval refreshments. It was tempting at that point to order a cup of hemlock, no sugar.
Too many players had what often gets called "an off night" but with certain players, especially the substitutes, you wonder whether they will ever have an "on night".
Babel arrived on the field for Benayoun and you have to wonder what instructions he'd been given by Rafa Benitez. You would assume it would have been to go past defenders and get crosses into the box. Therefore to see his contribution amounting to little more than laying the ball off to someone nearly every time he touched it and trying long-range speculative shots that wouldn't beat a five-a-side keeper never mind Friedel, you had a right to feel somewhat disappointed.
Likewise Voronin, his arrival on the field hardly inspires the crowd and although he played a part in Liverpool's goal his own contribution became less and less as the minutes ticked by.
If Voronin is the answer, I dread to think what the question is.
I also don't want to join the anti-Lucas brigade but I don't see him as a regular first-teamer. He is a squad player at best and we shouldn't be looking to him to be a player we can rely on.
There seems to be a mood of negativity and lack of confidence both on and off the field at present. The team seem pre-occupied and lacking drive and the crowd are anxious and angry with our situation.
To finish last season in second place just four points off the top and with only two defeats, we were entitled to expect that this summer would have seen us make the moves to take us that one step further this time out.
The loss of Alonso was a blow but to move forward we therefore needed a replacement for him and also we needed more creativity going forward to help out Torres. The Spaniard has been spending a lot of his time arguing with defenders and referees so far this season. Maybe he is also angry and disappointed that promises have not been kept and nobody has arrived to help him share the burden?
The two American owners have not kept their promises as we all know.
The only thing they do keep is their silence.
Newspapers, websites and TV programmes are all commenting and discussing the situation at Liverpool Football Club but neither of our two owners seem inclined to open their mouths.
Their continued silence just shows their contempt for the fans.
Another person who is currently saying little is our ex-Chairman David Moores.
As we know, Mr.Moores decided to backtrack on the potential deal with DIC at the eleventh hour. The offer from the Americans offered more money per share and as Mr.Moores was by far the largest shareholder, he therefore benefited the most.
He has relinquished his seat on the current board but like Hicks and Gillett he offers little comment on the situation at the club currently.
When he was Chairman, Mr.Moores positioned himself as being "just a supporter" like the rest of us. As every Liverpool supporter is angry at the actions and antics of our American owners then we must expect that he will be too. Why then no comments from Mr.Moores? As a very wealthy man he could even be in a position to begin to put together a consortium to buy out the Americans. If he is such a supporter then why can we not see more passion demonstrated by him?
Maybe he is moving behind the scenes. I hope so, as the fans who are currently lined up against our new owners need support.
The fans are mostly powerless at present and the only options are to demonstrate against the Americans and to try things like boycotting club merchandise. In truth, many fans are not part of their campaigns and in my opinion it's time more people did get involved. Without opposition the Americans will continue to handicap the club in the transfer market and continue to milk the club to pay off the huge debts they promised they would not put on us.
It's fifty years this year since Bill Shankly arrived at Anfield. He single-handedly dragged us into the 20th century and laid the foundations of the most successful club in England.
Shankly loved the supporters and was a man of honour, dignity and respect.
What he would have made of the mess the club is currently in and how it is being run is anybody's guess.
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why are you reds panicking so early? its a bit embarrassing...you wont compete for title but you'll be in europe next year!COYS we're better than you this year! you're begging for a take over of the club!
I think it was a bizzare night when we had no luck at all. A penalty, an own goal and poor marking. At one point we looked like we were going to get back into it until Gerrard's rush of blood to the head.
Again, if you think we had 12/13 shots on target and Friedel had the night of his life - I still think it is a little early to panic.
As for the owners, it's shameful that they haven't come up with any of their promises. All they have done is dithered, bickered amongst each other and ruined our chances to catch Man Utd and Chelski. We needed some squad additions - we brought in two players from the Alonso sale but nothing else. Shameful.
Picket lines outside the ground. Let's hit them where it hurts. If you're a red who lives locally get up there and help.
Liverpool fans please wake up, do not be disheartened by the exagerated comments made by the media, the pundits and the opposition about our title credentials.
At the end of last season there was once a great hope of a title challenge to come and now it seems any more losses and all hope will disappear its that fragile. This is completley wrong - there are so many games to play and under rafa we our a team that thrives as the underdog, it brings the best out of our team and our captain - these early upsets could be a blessing in disguise.
At the start of this season the fans worries of alonso's departure, the lack of funds and the owners have been escalated by the media hype, which I believe has created a lot of negative energy that can be seen all over the pitch from the nervousness of the players. Just watch the games won from our run last year which alonso wasn't playin in and they are in huge constrast to both the pre season games and the three so far this year. The nervous energy is ever present but I believe this will be lifted in the next few games to come.
"A lot of football success is in the mind, you must believe you are the best and then make sure you are" famous words which I believe are so true.
Look at the postives, we scored more goals than any other team with G & T missing for a lot of the season. Therefore the squad we have can score enough goals and with Glen Johnson already showing his potential we are indeed a fine attacking force without having to make further additions to the squad.
The game against villa was beyond control due to the abnormal events which occured, however the price of greatness is responsilbility and Gerrard as captain has the ability to be a great leader and is already a great player and needs to take responsibilty for the loss, he needs to lift his team mates and rally both the players and fans to unite and say f*** Alonso, f*** the lack of funds, f*** the critics we are liverpool, we have the tools to succeed and with the fans behind us we will fight to the very end and I believe we can and will win.
I hope David Moores is enjoying that extra 8 million pound. I hope it ails his throbbing conscience.
The reason the players are playing so badly is because the yanks are quite obviously trying to undermine rafa with a view to getting rid of him and this, understandably, is affecting their confidence. We'll never win the league with the americans destabalising our club - no matter who the manager is. In fact, I would suggest this probably doesn't bother the americans - they are only interested in qualifying for the CL on the cheap every year (its obvious thats what their business model is).