Recently by Tommy Smith

THE crazy goings on at Newcastle this week have dominated the sports headlines around the country. But all the words will count for nothing at 5.30pm tonight.

Because when we kick off against them, it will all be about the players on the pitch, not managers past and present, player mutinies or rebel fans at St James Park.

And I'm backing us to come out on top.

I COULDN'T be more delighted to see Jamie Carragher called up into the England World Cup squad. And the rest of the country should be celebrating with me too.

Jamie's no big head, that's for sure.

But he is a great player full of self belief and confidence in his abilities and when ex-England boss Steve McLaren repeatedly snubbed him, Jamie's self-respect and his desire to devote himself totally to Liverpool FC told him he should quit international football.

IT'S by now a very familiar battlecry. But once again it's time to issue it.

'Will all Kopites please report for duty at Anfield tomorrow night and scare the hell out of Atletico Madrid'!

Of course, Liverpool fans don't really need asking when it comes to big European nights when the stakes are high. They'll be out there in full voice to make sure the Spaniards know they'll be facing 12 men - not 11 - as they try and defend a 1-0 lead in the Europa League semi final.

WHILE we've got to be pleased with maximum points there was something missing from the 3-0 win over West Ham - and I don't mean Fernando Torres.

Liverpool should have won that game by seven or eight goals.

Without Torres we're bound to miss chances but that was the worst West Ham team I've ever seen. It was second division stuff.

That's why I was a bit disappointed we didn't put at least six past them, purely on the basis that we've still got an outside chance of finishing fourth and are in the semi-final of the Europa League.

EIGHT or nine months after a new Managing Director was brought in to Anfield to run the club - and hopefully sell it - we get reports that someone else is being brought in to run the club and sell it.

The fans have no idea what is going on - whether this new man is good news or bad.