LFC POINTS DEDUCTION: The legal position (and why it's not likely to happen)

Sensationalised reports have surfaced again recently regarding the possibility Liverpool could suffer a 9 point deduction if the club is forced into administration this week. In this article, I’ll look at the legal basis for that possibility, and explore whether it is actually likely to happen. Media reports arguing that Liverpool now face a possible points deduction are based on speculation, not fact. If you've read any of the reports, you'll see that the majority contain sources such as 'An Insider', or 'A well placed lawyer' etc. In other words, no credible source at all. The guidelines governing a potential points deduction are set by the Premier League. Before I outline the relevant rules, here is a brief overview the legal process facing LFC should the High Court rule against the club this week: INSOLVENCY A company will become insolvent if it is unable to pay its debts as they fall due (s123 of the Insolvency Act 1986). In Liverpool’s case, money is owe...

Liverpool FC in the relegation zone? Big deal. It means absolutely nothing

The media is making a huge deal out of the fact that Liverpool are currently in the relegation zone. All the usual ‘Liverpool in crisis’ doom and gloom stuff is being wheeled out; and whilst concern/frustration/disappointment is definitely warranted, any reasonable person knows that being in the bottom 3 at this stage of the season means practically nothing. Liverpool have no divine right to be at the top of the table but it’s also true that the team and the manager are far better than what we’re seeing at the moment. We’re experiencing relegation *form* right now, but the team will not remain in the zone. Fans need to be logical about this; for all the mass hysteria, the facts are: * Liverpool is only 5 points away from 4th place at the moment. 5 points! If we’d beaten Blackpool, it would’ve been only 2 points away from the top 4. Either situation is hardly insurmountable at this stage of the campaign. * West Brom is in joint 4th place right now, an equally false position; does t...

Sorry, but still I’m not jumping on the Liverpool FC 'apocalypse' bandwagon

A few days ago, I suggested that things would probably get worse for LFC before they got better , and that we’d probably see a few more disappointing results in the next couple of months. Well, this has come to pass, and to be honest, given the context of the season so far, I expected a poor result against Blackpool. However, despite the defeat, I refuse to be part of the ceaseless negativity suffocating LFC at the moment . This is just another set-back in what is shaping up to be a grueling marathon of a season. LFC has lost another battle, but it hasn’t lost the war. After this defeat, the rabid hysteria will mushroom to even more overblown levels. Fans and the media will be calling for Roy Hodgson’s head; Hicks, Gillett, Purslow and Broughton will be blamed for poor performance on the field; the fact that the club is in the relegation zone will be repeated ad nauseum and used as an epitaph as overwrought fans mourn the apparent death of LFC, and on and on and on... Well, quite...

History could be repeating itself at Liverpool FC, but that's not necessarily a bad thing...

Over the last 10 years, a pattern has emerged in Liverpool FC's league form that suggests that this season may not turn out to be as depressing as many (needlessly) pessimistic fans are predicting. The league pattern plays out like this: Fantastic season --> Atrocious Season --> CL Qualification Examples: 2001-2 : Liverpool finishes second. Optimism is sky high! Fans start expecting a major push for the title the following season, with many believing the title drought could soon be over. 2002-3 : Liverpool finish 5th. Utterly abject league season. Fail to qualify for the CL. Suddenly, the club is in a major irreparable crisis. According to fans, we'll be lucky to finish in the top half of the table in the following season. It's all downhill from here. 2003-4 : Liverpool finish 4th. Qualify for the CL. It's a long, hard gruelling season but the target was a top 4 finish, and it was achieved. 2004-5 : Liverpool wins the CL Then: 2008-9 : Liverpool finishes...

RAFA BENITEZ: What was his best ever Liverpool XI?

Taking into account all players bought and sold over the last 6 years, what was former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's best ever XI? My best Benitez XI: Formation - 442 --------------------- Reina Finnan ---- Carragher --- Hyypa ----- Riise Garcia ------ Alonso ---- Gerrard ---- Benayoun ------------- Crouch ----- Torres Subs: Agger, Bellamy, Kuyt, Hamann, Fowler, Skrtel, Pacheco, Aquilani I don't think Gerard Houllier's back-four was improved upon during Benitez's reign. Carra/Hyppia is an untouchable partnership; Riise was far more consistent and *fitter* than the likes of Aurelio and Dossena, and I'd take Finnan over Johnson any day of the week. I hate the modern footballing concept of having one dedicated holding midfielder (or in Benitez's case, two). I'd rather have the creativity and unpredictability of Garcia and Benayoun than the physicality and stamina of Kuyt and Mascherano, two players who epitomised Benitez's cautious, defensive-minded ap...

The future is BRIGHT for Liverpool FC. Ignore the 'Doom and Gloom' agenda

According to the relentlessly depressive doom and gloom brigade, no decent manager will want the Liverpool job vacated by Rafa Benitez. Liverpool FC is (apparently) a ‘poisoned chalice’; a footballing ‘Chernobyl’ that has been irradiated by the nuclear impact of Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Any fair-mined person can see it’s all baseless, overwrought misinformation, spread (mainly) by fans pushing the Anti-H+G agenda. Despite the ridiculous hyperbole, the Liverpool job remains one of the most cherished and attractive in football. In my view, there is absolutely no persuasive argument to suggest that the Liverpool manager’s job is no longer attractive. There is no evidence to back-up such a contention either. With their short-term outlook, a section of fans and the media are wrapped up in misguided tunnel vision when it comes to the state of the club. What is needed here is a long-term outlook . Yes, the club is in debt, but as I’ve proved in previous articles, it’s nowhere near ...

LFC needs a *motivator*, and MARTIN'O NEILL is the man to replace RAFA BENITEZ

On the 30th May 2004 (before Rafa Benitez was appointed), I wrote a post on ThisIsAnfield.com arguing that Martin O Neill should get the Manager's job ahead of Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho . 6 years later and my view has not changed; and now that Benitez is finally leaving, the need for a manager who is able to inspire and motivate is more pressing than ever. I have posted variations of this article several times over the years, and my message remains the same: There is only one candidate for the Liverpool job, and that is Martin O'Neill. Regular visitors to this site over the years will know how passionately (and regularly!) I have argued in favour of his appointment, and I know that he is the preferred choice of the Anfield hierarchy. O'Neill is also the bookies current favourite to take the job. The key point here about O'Neill is this: wherever he has managed, he has taken the team as far as it is realistically possible to go (taking into account players at his...

Why the Christmas period could provide a glimmer of hope for LIVERPOOL FC

Confidence and belief is in the gutter as Liverpool enter the Christmas period, but if previous years are anything to go by, the next few weeks could actually turn out to be rather fruitful for the club. If there is one positive thing that has been a constant for Liverpool under Rafa Benitez, it is performing well in the league over the Christmas period: 2004-5 P4 W3 L1 2005-6 P4 W3 D1 2006-7 P4 W3 L1 2007-08 P4 W2 D2 2008/9 P3 W2 D1 5 YEAR TOTALS P - 19 W - 13 D - 4 L – 2 Goals for - 40 Goals against - 13 As you can see, Liverpool has never had a bad Christmas period under Benitez. I may not be a fan of the manager but that does not mean I don't want the CLUB to do well. I support the club over the individual, and for the sake of Liverpool FC, wins are desperately needed over the next two weeks. So let's history repeats itself and this positive trend continues. Jaimie Kanwar

Baby steps to success? Why LIVERPOOL fans should put up with the current heartbreak...

On Boxing Day, Liverpool reach the halfway point in the season with a ‘make or break’ game against Wolves. The club’s fans have endured a torrid season so far with nothing but small victories to cheer, and great wins against Man United and Everton overshadowed by points subsequently being dropped . It’s fair to say that we’ve all felt the pain, and many are at the end of their tether…but all is not lost, argues CHRIS SEVERS . I’ve thought long and hard on the problems at Liverpool this season and I refuse to buy into the simple answers of Xabi Alonso and Rafa Benitez. Having no luck is also no real excuse, you make your own luck in this game and Liverpool simply haven’t been doing it. The problems stem from the top and they’ve dripped down into every nook and cranny, multiplying and spreading like a disease. It needs to stop, and Boxing Day can be the day to stop the rot and turn it around, but only if we really want it to. Xabi Alonso? Firstly, Xabi Alonso’s absence is not the reason...

LFC need a MOTIVATOR, and MARTIN'O NEILL is the right man to replace RAFA BENITEZ

On the 30th May 2004 (before Benitez was appointed), I wrote a post on ThisIsAnfield.com arguing that Martin O Neill should get the Manager's job ahead of Benitez and Jose Mourinho . Five and a half years later and my view has not change, and after yesterday's passionless display at Portsmouth, the need for a manager who is able to inspire and motivate is more pressing than ever. Before the 'Rafa Can Do No Wrong' brigade joins forces with the 'Rafa Benitez Anti-Defamation League' and collectively start foaming at the mouth, I'll just reiterate my position on Benitez's job: 1 . I am, and always have been, against sacking Benitez (aor any Liverpool manager) mid-season. 2 . When the time comes, I do not believe Benitez should be sacked anyway. Given his affinity with the fans and the success he has achieved in Europe, he deserves better than that. 3 . Benitez should be given till the end of the season, irrespective of how things go over the next few months...

Why MARTIN'O NEILL is the right man to (eventually) replace RAFA BENITEZ

On the 30th May 2004 (before Benitez was appointed), I wrote a post on ThisIsAnfield.com arguing that Martin O Neill should get the Manager's job ahead of Benitez and Jose Mourinho. Five years later and O'Neill is apparently one of the favourites to become the next Liverpool manager. Well, my opinion has not changed: For me, O'neill is the only man for the job. Before the 'Rafa Can Do No Wrong' brigade joins forces with the 'Rafa Benitez Anti-Defamation League' and collectively start foaming at the mouth, let me reiterate my position on Benitez's job: 1 . I am totally against sacking Benitez mid-season. In my recent interview with Republik of Mancunia, I stated the following: Rafa will not be sacked, nor should he be. Liverpool have never sacked a manager mid-season and the club is not going to start now, especially after last season’s 2nd place finish I have always been consistent on this point. 2 . When the time comes, I do not believe Benitez should...

Even more proof that FERNANDO TORRES is a better striker than Wayne Rooney

A few weeks ago I looked at the creative impact of Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney over the last two complete seasons. Torres was streets ahead of Rooney in almost every way, but some people (i.e. Man U fans in denial) argued that it was an unfair comparison as they played in different positions. Well, since Torres and Rooney are both now playing the striker role, I've taken a look at the last 10 games to gauge how things are going this season. Here is a brief recap of the results from my previous analysis: T=Torres R=Rooney ST = Starts SB = Sub G = Goals A = Assists M = minutes on pitch GPM – Goals per minutes GPG – Goals per game CRPM – Creative ratio per minute CRPG – Creative ratio per game SIDE BY SIDE - Totals: 2007-present ST SB M G A GPM GPG CRPM CRPG T 76 15 6800 58 10 1/117 1/1.5 1/100 1/1.3...