Controversial MANAGER raves: "Liverpool are exciting again..."

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has transformed the club's style of play since he returned to Anfield, and according to former QPR manager Neil Warnock, Liverpool are exciting to watch again.

Speaking to ITV Sport last night, Warnock - who was sacked by QPR recently - enthused:

"Liverpool on Wednesday night against Man City and today - I think that's how Liverpool should be, when they get it, have a go and get the Kop going.

"I think they're exciting again now. I know they had problems at Bolton, but I like it when Liverpool play like that, and I think it's good for everybody, and that's why they're doing well".

Earlier this season, he insisted that former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's decision to play a weakened side against Fulham led directly to Sheffield United's relegation in May 2011:

"I don't hold a grudge against Liverpool, but I'll never forgive Benitez for playing what wasn't even a reserve team [against] the worst team in the division.

"I'd understand it if the Champions League [Final] was the following week, but it was 18 days away. He didn't give two hoots.

"You don't ever forget things like that. I'll always remember that.

Jaimie Kanwar

LIVERPOOL legend escapes 'serious injury' in car crash...

Liverpool legend Ian Rush has escaped serious injury after being involved in a serious car crash in Egypt.

Rushie was in Cairo to official open a new LFC Academy and Soccer School, and during a sightseeing trip to the pyramids, his car was hit by another vehicle and crashed into a wall. Rush told the Sunday Exress:

"Everything was in slow motion. As I saw the wall I feared the worst, but luckily the wall collapsed under the impact and that saved us.

"There were four of us in the car and when you looked at the state of it, written off, you wondered how we all escaped without serious injury.

"The other car was also a write-off. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so lucky or relieved. We eventually arrived at the pyramids three hours late.

"Afterwards I was desperate for a drink to calm my nerves, only to find the restaurant didn’t sell alcohol. I was stuck on water, absolutely gutted".

Jaimie Kanwar

Ex-LFC star blasts: "Some people need to be careful what they wish for..."

Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has slammed the small minority of fans who called for Kenny Dalglish's head after the recent 3-1 home defeat to Bolton.

In his column for The People, Collymore - who was on the bench when Liverpool beat Dalglish's Newcastle team 4-3 in 1997 - argued:

"It was strange to hear Kenny getting flak from a section of fans in the wake of that defeat at Bolton last weekend.

"Some people need to be careful what they wish for because a change of ­manager is the last thing Liverpool need right now.

"He is the right man, in the right place, at the right time, as this great club bids to find its feet again".

Despite that strong support, Collymore acknowledged that Kenny had made mistakes, especially over the handling of the Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra incident:

"He [Dalglish] was wrong with the stance he took over the Luis Suarez affair and nobody should have been ­wearing T-shirts supporting the striker.

"Still, everybody makes mistakes, and as far as I am­ ­concerned, Dalglish is one of the few Liverpool faces that reminds everyone of the club’s success, and that in itself can inspire greatness".

Liverpool have a trip to Wembley to look forward to in February, and Collymore believes the club is finally getting back to where it belongs:

"Wembley used to be Liverpool’s second home and it needs to become that way again, and with Kenny Dalglish at the helm, I believe it’s possible".

Jaimie Kanwar

CONFIRMED: €13m transfer fails, but LFC still have time to sign this Genius...

I know I've banged the drum about this before but in light of recent developments, I feel it needs to be said again: Basel midfield maestro Xherdan Shaqiri is available for transfer right now for a comparatively cheap price, and Liverpool would be mad to miss out on this golden opportunity to sign the Swiss International.

Shaqiri was in negotiations with Galatasary earlier this week for a potential transfer, but talks broke down and deal could not be concluded. The Turkish giants confirmed on their website:

"Negotiations with the professional football player Xherdan Shaqiri which began on the 23rd January 2012 have come to an end, we have not agreed terms with [Shaqiri] and his club F.C Basel."

Galatasaray vice-president Ali Dürüst added:

"Shaqiri's club Basel wanted a transfer fee that we would not accept and as a result negotiations have come to an end."

Earlier this month, Galatasary president Unal Aysal told reporters:

“We’ve made an official offer for Shaqiri. We didn’t offer €10m; we offered a lower amount, but with bonuses it would come to €13m. The club told us that they received offers from a few other places, and after evaluating them all, they would come back to us”

So, the facts are:

* Shaqiri is definitely available in January.
* He fits Liverpool's transfer philosophy.
* The top bid so far only amounts to €13m (£10.9m)
* Shaqiri himself has confirmed that he wants to leave Basel.

Galatasaray's President admitted that he put in a bid that was 'lower' than €10m; if we guesstimate that his offer was, say, €8m (£6.9m), then surely a bid of £10-£15m would go close to sealing the deal?

In my view, it would be a dereliction of duty if Liverpool didn't, at the very least, make a bid for Shaqiri; he's only going to get better, and he may never be available at this kind of price again.

Come on, Kenny - pull out all the stops and SIGN HIM!



Jaimie Kanwar

Liverpool's Daniel AGGER admits: "It's not good enough..."

Daniel Agger scored an excellent headed goal against Man United in the FA Cup earlier today, and whilst he's happy that Liverpool won the game and got through to the next round, the Dane is fully focused on the premier league, and he's called for an improved performance against Wolves next week.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Agger was keen to stress the importance of Liverpool's next league game:

"We need to get further up in the table.

"It's not good enough where we are now, so definitely we need three points.

"It's a tough game on Tuesday, and we need to play well to win".

It seems like every league these days is a 'must-win', but that's what happens when you draw seven games at home; the pressure increases as the margin for error decreases.

Agger's last goal for Liverpool was against Benfica in April 2010, but in that game, the the Portuguese side came back to win 2-1. Thankfully, that didn't happen against United, who had plenty of possession but very little attacking impact, as Agger acknowledged:

"We defended well. They had a lot of possession but not many chances. We did well, but united is a tough team to play against. You can't talk about who deserved to win or not because it's football, and anything can happen".

According to OPTA stats, Agger has made more interceptions that any other Liverpool defender this season, and with 86% passing accuracy - also the highest of the club's defenders - it's easy to see why a fully fit Agger is such an asset to the team.

Jaimie Kanwar

Mark Lawrenson is clearly DRUNK if he actually believes this is true...

Winning the Carling Cup this season would be a great boost for Liverpool football club, but I'm sure most fans would agree that finishing 4th must remain the number one priority. Anfield legend Mark Lawrenson doesn't think so, and he inexplicably believes that the club's owners would - given the choice - prefer a Carling Cup win over qualification for next season's Champions League.

In his weekly column for The Mirror, Lawro argued:

"If you had said to Liverpool’s owners at the start of the season they could have fourth place or the Carling Cup and getting into the Europa League then I think they would have taken the trophy all day long.

What Lawrenson is basically saying here is that Liverpool's owners would prefer to play in the Europa League over the Champions League if it meant winning an (arguably) meaningless domestic trophy (!)

Have Liverpool's standards dropped so low that winning the Carling Cup is now more important than playing in Europe's premier competition?

I highly doubt that the Owners would choose the Carling Cup over a fourth place finish; indeed, John Henry himself stated earlier in the season that the club's main goal is to finish in the top four:

"Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment".

I would be extremely concerned if the club suddenly modified its ambitions and prioritised the Carling Cup over a fourth place finish in the premier league. Thankfully, I don't think there's any possibility that Lawro is right here.

In my view, a Carling Cup win and a 5th/6th place finish would not represent, as Lawro contends, "a very good season" - it would represent an overall failure of progression, especially given the vast sums of money spent on 'improving' the team.

What do you think?

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Jaimie Kanwar

Manchester United legends slam "absolutely SHOCKING" Evra defending...

Old Trafford legends Roy Keane and Paul Ince were livid with Man United's 'schoolboy defending' at Anfield earlier today, and both players were disappointed that Alex Ferguson's team could not turn [what they perceived to be] superior possession and quality into goals.

Summarising the game on ITV, Keane was typically blunt about United's defensive failures:

"Poor goals from United's point of view; absolutely shocking.

"I've seen [Patrice] Evra in a lot of big games and I think he gets caught out alot.

"[For the winning goal] He should've tucked in a bit when he saw Carroll going up for it; expect Carroll to win it - he's 6"4!"

Ince, who memorably scored a crucial 89th minute equalising goal FOR Liverpool against United in 1999, argued that a draw would've been 'a fair result', and also identified Evra as a weak defensive link:

"The second half became a little bitty; nothing was really going on, but it was just schoolboy defending from United. getting into the right position is something that Evra should know about.

"Once United took Scholes off, I think they lost it a bit; they lost the dictation and possession of the game".

Keane was quick to praise Liverpool for staying focused, and he was also impressed with the way the team responded to Kenny Dalglish's stinging criticism after the Bolton game last week:

"Great reaction from Liverpool's point of view. Kenny Dalglish questioned the players' attitudes and their hunger, but now they've got to a cup final during the week and they're beat United today.

"United will be kicking themselves; in terms of possession and quality, United edged it, but that doesn't win you football matches.

"Credit to Liverpool though; whatever lack of quality they had today they stuck at it, and the substitutions for Liverpool definitely turned the game for them".

There was a touch of twisted poetic justice about the way the game ended; the winning goal came as a result of an Evra mistake at the same part of the ground as his infamous spat with Luis Suarez, who was watching on in the stands.

Great win for Liverpool, but I would trade it for a win against Wolves next week.

Jaimie Kanwar

FULL TIME VIDEO: Liverpool 2-1 Man United. Agger, Park, Kuyt goals...

Liverpool have beaten Man United in the FA Cup at Anfield today!

Kenny Dalglish made four changes to the side that beat Manchester City in midweek, with five defenders named in the staring eleven,

Full team: Reina, Kelly, Enrique, Agger, Skrtel, Carragher, Henderson, Gerrard, Downing, Maxi, Carroll.

Subs: Doni, Johnson, Coates, Kuyt, Adam, Shelvey, Bellamy.

Man United: De Gea, Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Park, Welbeck.

PRE-GAME NOTES: 12pm

Liverpool have three central defenders in the team again, so we could be looking at the dreaded 541 wing-back formation again(or 352, depending on how you look at it).

It's slightly disappointing that Kenny has gone for a more defensive line-up, but if it works properly, then Andy Carroll might benefit. Possible formation:

----------------------------- Reina

--------- Skrtel --------- Carragher ---------- Agger

Kelly -------------------------------------------------- Enrique

----------- Maxi ---- Henderson --- Gerrard ---- Downing

----------------------------- Carroll

* Carroll up front on his own doesn't inspire me with confidence, especially since Liverpool have struggled to get numbers into the box this season.

* The good news is Rooney and Nani are out for United, so that should be a positive, but I would rather have seen two central defenders and another attacking player rather than five defenders overall.

* Seemingly no holding midfielder, which means that Gerrard and Henderson will be doing a lot of donkey work today when they should be attacking.

* Of course, it's possible that Carra could be playing as a DM. We shall see.

If we must play 352, I would go with this formation:

----------------------------- Reina

--------- Skrtel --------- Carragher ---------- Agger

Kelly -------------------------------------------------- Enrique

----------- Gerrard ---- Henderson ---- Downing

-------------------------- Maxi

----------------------------- Carroll

* Gerrard and Downing getting the crosses in; Henderson in his best position in the middle, and Maxi playing just-off Carroll to pick up the second balls and get into the box quickly.

HALF TIME: 1-1

A few points:

* Carroll up front on his own is (predictably) not working. Too many hoofed balls up front, which is wasting possession. When he does get the ball, his control is not good enough to keep possession. Hopefully, someone will get on the end of a flick on at some point and make it count.

* Ball retention needs to drastically improve. United dominated possession in the last 25 minutes of the first half.

* No real attacking threat for most of the first half.

* Questions need to be asked about the defence again; how did Park have so much time in the box? It's not as if the cross came out of nowhere; it was obvious what Rafael was going to do as soon as he dispossessed Enrique.

On the plus side, we still have Bellamy to come in and shake things up. In my view, Carra should be replaced with Adam or Shelvey, which will provide Liverpool with more an attacking thrust.

FULL TIME: Liverpool 2-1 Man United

Daniel Agger Goal



Park Ji Sung Goal



Dirk Kuyt Goal



Jaimie Kanwar

HANSEN: Liverpool are a 'better team' without this 'unplayable' Star...

In recent weeks, it has become clear (IMO) that Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is losing patience with Andy Carroll. Despite Luis Suarez being banned, and Liverpool desperately needing goals, Carroll was left on the bench for crucial premier league game against Stoke, and experienced the nadir of being reduced to a time-wasting tactic against Man City. Granted, Carroll has had plenty of chances to impress this season, but according to Anfield legend Alan Hansen, the time has come to acknowledge and accept that Liverpool simply play better without him.

Hansen has been very supportive of Carroll this season, but even he is now starting to accept the inevitable. Speaking to the BBC, Hansen argued:

"[Kenny] paid £35m to sign Carroll, but there is no getting away from the fact that Liverpool look a better team without him.

"I recall him looking unplayable when he scored Newcastle's winner at Arsenal last season. He was unbeatable in the air and quick on the deck.

"Everyone will be working and supporting him behind the scenes to try and find that elusive form he showed on Tyneside, but he was injured when he arrived at Liverpool, has struggled not only for confidence but also touch and is not leaving anyone for dead any more.

"Others will know whether it is a question of fitness or confidence, but Dalglish was right to keep playing him until it became clear he was not getting any better and left him out against City".

I'm not a great fan of Carroll but bringing him on in the 90th minute against City was a bit of a personal humiliation for the player (IMO), especially as he was one of two players dropped as a result of Dalglish's post-Bolton tirade.

There seems to be a disconnect between what Kenny says about Carroll and what he does; all season, we've heard nothing but praise and support for the big-man, but that has not translated into the one thing Carroll needs: a consistent run of games, with the team set-up to get the best out of him.

The opportunity to grant him that arose with the suspension of Luis Suarez, but Carroll has still been in and out of the team, and when he's played, the team has not been set-up to play to his strengths.

Dumping a £35m striker on the bench for big games sends the wrong signal, and this can only have a negative effect on Carroll's already fragile confidence. All of which begs the question: why did Kenny spend so much money on Carroll when:

* It was obvious he wouldn't fit into Liverpool's preferred style of playe.
* He clearly doesn't know how to utilise him properly.
* He is not going to give him the opportunity to properly gel with the team.

Don't get me wrong, if it was down to me Carroll would be sold tomorrow, but Liverpool's handling of the player has (arguably) been counter-productive, and if it happened once, it can happen again with a different player.

For me, as soon as Suarez started his suspension, Carroll should've played every game alongside Bellamy upfront, with Downing and Johnson (or even Gerrard) on the wings. That's not my personally preferred set-up but if you spend 35m on a player you surely have to at least TRY and see if you can get the best out of him?

In the seven games Suarez has been out, Liverpool have won only 3 out of 7 games overall, managing only one win in the last six premier league games. If Liverpool had played Carroll in every game, could it have been worse? Possibly, but it also could've been better.

If Kenny genuinely has faith in Carroll, he needs to play him more, starting today against Man United. If not, he needs to just accept he made a mistake and get rid as soon as possible.

Jaimie Kanwar

Steven GERRARD admits: "It took some balls to do that..."

Club captain Steven Gerrard has reiterated his confidence and belief in Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, and although he acknowledges that the pressure is on at the moment, Gerrard has no doubt that Dalglish is the right man to lead Liverpool forward.

In an interview with ITV Sport, Gerrard expressed his admiration for Dalglish's willingness to put his legendary status on the line:

"It took some balls to come back and have a second crack at it. He didn't have to - he's already a legend, and to put his status at stake, fair play to him".

Gerrard accepted that there was 'pressure on all the players and all the coaching staff' and especially on Dalglish 'more than anyone else', but insisted that the manager could handle it:

"He believes in himself as a manager; we all believe in him; the fans do. He's certainly got belief that he can deliver the second time round".

Dalglish recently agreed that Gerrard was 'close' to being the greatest Liverpool player ever, and Gerrard returned the compliment:

"Kenny represents everything the club stands for; he's the best player the club has ever had, and all the players believe in him."

Now go and hammer Man United!

Jaimie Kanwar

CONFIRMED: LFC miss out on €13m striker who WANTED to join the club...

It's official: Lille striker Moussa Sow has signed for Fenerbahçe. Until yesterday, Kenny Dalglish still had a chance to hijack the move for the Senagalese hitman, who recently described Liverpool as a 'dream club', but ultimately, it seems the club was not interested.

Speaking to Sky Sports last week, Sow revealed his admiration for Liverpool:

"Liverpool, well, that is a dream club. Anyone would be happy, scoring goals in front of the Kop can be the highlight of a career".

In the days prior to the actually transfer, The Turkish giants seemed very confident that a move would take place, and even informed the Stock Exchange that a €13 million deal had been agreed with Lille.

Last night, Sow spoke to reporters and provided an update on the situation as he waited to board a plane for Turkey. He said:

"Yes, I'm leaving for Turkey. But it's not done until it's official. I'm going to pass the medical and then we'll see. I'll be back tomorrow [Friday]".

Sow clearly left the door open for other clubs, and based on his past comments, he was probably (secretly) hoping Liverpool would come in with an 11th hour bid.

Sow managed 34 goals and 6 assists in 60 games for Lille, which is a very good return. There was definitely a small window of opportunity for Liverpool here, and given the comparatively low transfer fee, the club may have missed out again here.

Sow seemed pleased with his decision, and told reporters:

"I grew up in a neighbourhood with Turkish friends. They always used to tell me about Turkey and Fenerbahce. I received many offers, however Fenerbahce appealed to me the most.

"The club showed a lot of interest in me and I was convinced that Fenerbahce was the best decision for me. I can't wait to play in front of the famous Fenerbahce fans. I have heard all about their support and can even hear them chanting now."

What do you think - should Liverpool have tried to snatch Sow away from Fenerhbace, or has the club dodged a bullet?

Jaimie Kanwar

LFC LEGEND: "There's only ONE Man Utd player to fear, and it's NOT Rooney..."

Midfield legend Jan Molby is convinced that Liverpool can beat Manchester United tomorrow in the hotly anticipated FA Cup tie at Anfield. The Dane has also dismissed the threat of self-confessed cheat Wayne Rooney, and highlighted Antonio Valencia as United's only danger man.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Molby argued that United 'are there to be got at', and insisted that Alex Ferguson's team were not as good as Manchester City, who Liverpool dominated a few days ago. He said:

"City have better players than United. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the only player Liverpool FC need really fear in the United side at the moment is Antonio Valencia.

"The likes of Wayne Rooney? Yeah he’s a good player, but at Anfield he often struggles. He is working hard now, but is some way off his best form for me.

"Not so Valencia. He is in great form, putting lots of crosses into the box and looks full of running. Jose Enrique will have his work cut out tomorrow. The Spaniard’s form has dipped of late, but he was back to his best on Wednesday.

"I genuinely think Liverpool can approach the game without any fear whatsoever".

I think Molby is being a little over-confident here:

* It's true to say that Rooney always struggles at Anfield, but Valencia is most definitely not United's only threat. If that was the case, they wouldn't be second in the premier league.

* Liverpool have drawn 8 games at home this season, one of which was the infamous draw against United in October. If this kind of form continues tomorrow, and United are on form, there could be problems.

* United have had three more days rest than Liverpool this week, which could have an impact.

The atmosphere is sure to be electric, and I'm confident Liverpool will win, but it's not going to be a walk in the park.

Jaimie Kanwar

Alan HANSEN: "I have NO worries whatsoever about him..."

Anfield legend Alan Hansen believes Jordan Henderson should be exempt from the criticism that is increasingly being levelled against Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's summer signings.

Speaking to the BBC earlier today, Hansen expressed concern about the performances of Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll, but he was upbeat about the former Sunderland midfielder. He enthused:

"I have no worries whatsoever about Jordan Henderson. He is a fine young player who breaks things up, gets from box to box and can pick a pass.

"People tend to forget that Henderson is only 21 because he came from an established Barclays Premier League club in Sunderland, where he played almost 100 games"

Hansen is not the only ex-player who believes Henderson is a great prospect; Didi Hamann and John Barnes have also been quick to sing his praises. Speaking to LFC TV recently, Hamann made the following bold claim:

"I strongly fancy him to go to the Euros next year. He's a very talented kid, and England have to bring these players through now and take them to major tournaments".

"The England team has lacked this youth in recent years; they've stuck with the same team for too long, and they haven't performed. If he has a good season for Liverpool then I have no doubt whatsoever he'll be in the England squad for Euro 2012".

Barnes seems to agree, as he told Soccer AM:

"Make no mistake, he is very well thought-of by England, and I think he can make it"

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Jaimie Kanwar

LFC Chairman: "This player is BRILLIANT. We've got to sign him..."

With more than half of the premier league season already over, Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has achieved a grand total of no goals and no assists. Based on his recent history with Villa, I still can't understand why Liverpool decided to spend so much money him, but it seems like Kenny Dalglish may have had no choice in the matter.

Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly once said:

"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques"

I think most fans would agree with that, and the idea of a Director/Chairman actually having some major influence on transfer targets is anathema to most managers. However, it appears that Tom Werner and John Henry may have had a major influence on the signing of Downing, and for reasons that basically contradict their whole 'Moneyball' philosophy.

According to Werner, he and Henry were so impressed by some doctored youtube footage of Downing in action that they resolved to find a way to buy him. Speaking to LFC TV, Werner admitted:

"There was some footage of Stewart where he was, from 30 yards away, kicking a football into five different trash cans and it was brilliant. John and I said: 'Oh my God, this player is brilliant, we've got to figure out a way to make a deal with him'.

Here is the footage that so impressed Liverpool's owners:



According to The Telegraph:

"It was only later that Werner and Henry realised the footage had been digitally enhanced as part of a campaign to boost season ticket sales at Villa".

The idea that Henry and Werner made a transfer decision on the basis of a Youtube video is probably nonsense; I'm sure there was a lot more to it than that, and I'm sure Kenny probably let the Owners know that the video was doctored.

A Villa spokesperson confirmed:

"It was part of our 2010-11 season-ticket drive. There is a message after it which reads, 'Seeing is believing', which we thought was a giveaway. Obviously, it wasn’t a big enough clue"

Werner and Henry's enthusiasm is great to see but I sincerely hope that in future they follow Shankly's advice and just stick to signing the cheques.

As for Downing - he told LFC TV earlier today that he feels like his best form is returning:

"I'm starting to pick up form again. I want to play all the time but the only way I can do that is to play well. I've got to get my head down and work hard, and the last couple of weeks I'm pleased with how it's gone personally."

NB: Rumours that Werner and Henry encouraged Kenny Dalglish to sign Andy Carroll after watching the following YouTube video could not be confirmed ;-)



Jaimie Kanwar

STEVE NICOL admits: Kenny's job is under threat, but he CAN save it, & here's how...

Prior to victory over Man City the other night, Liverpool had been in a poor run of form, slumping to seventh place in the league after managing only one win in six Premier League games. After such a huge financial outlay on underperforming players, it was inevitable that questions would start to be asked about Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's position, but Anfield legend Steve Nicol believes that winning the Carling Cup will secure Dalglish's job for another season.

I've already argued several times in various articles that calling for Dalglish's head at this stage is totally ridiculous. However, there are fans out there who've been doing exactly that, and whilst there is (probably) no possibility of Liverpool making a mid-season change (again!), it's interesting to note that ex-players such as Nicol have raised the issue unprompted.

Summarising the City game for ESPN, Nicol made direct (unprompted) reference to Kenny's position, which seems to suggest he privately - or subconsciously - feels that Kenny's job may actually be under threat. He said:

"I think they're going to struggle for that 4th spot, but winning the Carling Cup will be enough for Kenny; I think it's absolutely enough to save Kenny's position".

Why would Nicol make any reference at all to 'saving' Kenny's job if he believed it wasn't under threat? He added:

"The smile on John Henry's face at the final whistle told you everything you need to know. And if they do lose by any chance [against Cardiff], and they won't, I still think he'll be fine as well".

What happens if Liverpool don't win the Carling Cup, and don't finish 4th?

It's great to be in the final but it's dangerous to lose sight of the fact that there is still a huge amount of work to be done in the league. Some people are acting as though the Carling Cup is a world-renowned cup competition with major international prestige, and that getting to the final means Liverpool are the most amazing team on the planet.

The reality is very different, and whilst I hope Liverpool beat Cardiff and add more silverware to the trophy cabinet, I would pass on the cup win if it meant Liverpool secured a 4th place finish.

Who knows, perhaps the club can achieve both...?

Jaimie Kanwar

Liverpool on the verge of signing a South American "phenomenon"...

There should be quite a few transfers in the Premier League over the next week, and Liverpool fans will be hoping to see some new blood at Anfield, especially up front. Things are quiet at the moment, but last week, Bruce Grobbelaar revealed that Liverpool were tracking a Holland-based Uruguayan striker. It transpires that FC Groningen's David Texeira is the player in question, and with five goals in his three games, the 20 year old is attracting a lot of attention, and a lot of praise.

In an interview with TalkSport last week, Grobbelaar tantalisingly hinted that Liverpool football club were interested in signing TWO strikers in the January transfer window:

"There are two strikers [Liverpool are interested in]. I know that [Kenny Dalglish] is looking at a South American striker who is playing in Holland and I know that he’s quite close in getting another striker".

This site was the first to reveal that Texeira was the player in the question, and Liverpool's interest has since been confirmed by the BBC's South American football expert, Tim Vickery.

Texeira has scored five goals in his last three games for Groningen (including a hat-trick against NEC last weekend), which has prompted the Dutch press to label him a 'phenomenon'.

After the NEC game, Texeira spoke to reporters, and shrugged off the effusive praise being thrown his way. He said:

"A phenomenon is a big word. Football is a team sport, so we do everything together. I always try my best for the team and try to make contribution with goals. I am just happy that things are going well for us."

Of all the strikers linked with Liverpool recently, the Texeira deal is (IMO) the most likely to actually happen, for the following reasons:

* Youth and inexperience = Comparatively cheap transfer fee.

* Strong South American presence at Liverpool, including fellow Uruguayan's Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates.

* Signing an inexperienced 20 year old will not be perceived as a slight on Andy Carroll. If Liverpool were to spend big on a striker, it would basically amount to a vote of no confidence in Carroll, and a tacit admission by Dalglish of failure in the transfer market.

Jaimie Kanwar

LFC LEGEND: "They're the SECOND BEST team in the world' - Is he right?

Manchester City may be top of the Premier League, but they were poor against Liverpool last night, and Kenny Dalglish's team arguably dominated for long periods of the game. Despite the ineffective performance, Anfield legend Steve Nicol still believes that City are the second best team in the world.

Nicol made his dubious claim on ESPN a few days ago, and whilst summarising the game for the channel last night, he was challenged to explain why he believed City were better than Real Madrid. Nicol explained:

"Madrid are cantering through games week in week out; they're scoring four and five every week, but Man City are tougher physically, tougher mentally, and if add that to their ability, that's why they would be second.

"If they get Kompany and you back, and they have their main team, and you stick Man City in La Liga, they might not beat Barcelona, but they'll be on top of Real Madrid".

Man City the second best team in the world? I don't think so. They've been underwhelming in all the games against Liverpool this season, and they didn't exactly set the Champions League on fire. What do you think?

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Jaimie Kanwar

"Beating Liverpool is a MASSIVE part of my life. You never forget it..."

It's the 60th minute at Wembley. Glorious sunshine streams down on the immaculate pitch. Kenny Dalglish watches on from the sidelines as the ever-reliable John Aldridge steps up take a crucial penalty...I don't even need to finish the sentence because all Liverpool fans know exactly what game I'm talking about.

Yes, it's the 1988 FA Cup Final against Wimbledon, and you would've bet your life on two things that day: Aldridge would bury that penalty, and Liverpool would win the game.

Much to the shock of fans everywhere, it didn't happen; 'The Crazy Gang' went on to win the cup, and Liverpool missed out on the double (as they would the following year too).

Vinnie Jones was part of the Wimbledon side that day shock, and in a recent interview with The FA magazine, he revealed how much that improbable victory still means to him:

"It’s a massive part of my life, in 1988 when we beat Liverpool. It's something you never forget, something nobody forgets – we’re quite a few years on now and it seems like yesterday.

“It probably ranks, in football terms, as number one. I played in the third round at Wealdstone as a non-league player, and it was massive for us then. And a couple of years later, there I was beating the mighty Liverpool."

"It was a sea of red for Liverpool, and there was this blue section, I'm sure our fans were [outnumbered] four, five to one in the stadium that day, but they never stopped singing all the way through, from start to finish.

"If we were losing it wouldn't have changed, it was their day, maybe never to be repeated again. They really did enjoy it as much as the players.

Not that anyone wants to see this again, but what the hell:



Jaimie Kanwar