Hey Ezanih, so you're from Malaysia? Awesome!!! I watched the footage of LFC's Asia Tour & most of us here in Liverpool were blown away by the level of support over there, it was just unreal! I actually live in a little village/town called Formby, about 40 mins from Anfield & I go to as many games as I can (when work & money allows!). Sadly, the only ground that can house 80,000 is Wembley - the national stadium. The only (domestic) grounds that could house an 80,000 crowd are Old Toilet (75,000), the Nou Camp (80,000), & the Bernebeu (80,000 I think). So , yeah, if you are ever in Liverpool, drop me a line here on the Kop (you might need to post a blog as I don't know if you can send personal messages) & I'll buy you that Coke (or a Coconut Juice if I ever get to Malaysia).

By the way did I actually mention I'm one of Liverpool's many female fans? My penname comes from my other passion in life (other than LFC) which is Irish (step) Dancing (like Riverdance) combined with the fact I come from Liverpool (Scouse = Liverpool, Dancer = I'm an Irish Dancer) - get it? You can blame my football mania & knowledge on my Dad, Brother, Grand Dad, Uncles, & legions of Liverpool FC fans/friends who happily chat football with me (& don't seem to care that I'm a girl!).

 Trust me on Henderson, like I said if you'd have said to me 2 years ago that Lucas Leiva would become so vital to us, I'dve split my sides laughing at you! I was at the QPR game Saturday & in his natural position Hendo played very, very well & linked up with Adam  to good effect (considering they've not played as a pair for long). Hendo isn't even 21 yet, Lucas was a raw untried talent at 21 too so give him time. This really is a team in transition, I've said on other blogs that its going to take more than one season to repair the damage done by 22 years of underinvestment, poor buying, mamagerial changes, not to mention the damage done by Hicks/Gillette (£35M in interest payments - thats several Andy Carroll's!!). Still I agree its frustrating - but our time will come my friend, remember it took  Shanks 3 years to really change Liverpool's fortunes & turn us into the successful monster we eventually became.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EZANIH & A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR  - and that goes to all the posters on The Kop, here's hoping for a successful christmas for LFC.

ps: Sadly, Ezanih Man City didn't do us a favour, they lost 2-1 to Chavski (they had a man sent off & conceded a pen with 6 mins to go).

MERRY CHRISTMAS EZANIH! I agree with you, you are as entitled to yuor opinion as I am to mine & calling you an idiot was unfair. When I say you were rude, it was not so much what you said, but how you said it (your tone) I know it sounds odd to say you can hear a person's tone of voice when we're communicating via a keyboard, but you can! Having said that - I think we've all said sorry so lets let that particular dog lie eh?

 None of the points you make are unreasonable, can I go through them one by one?

1.) Subs - I think we all agree that subs certainly could/should be made perhaps sooner> I think that our successes in the Carling Cup & against City & Chavski were as much down to well timed subs as a good team choice & tactics. Having said that, if a player is playing well, do you sub him as you say for fresh legs or leave him on & see if he scores? Timing your subs must be a managers biggest headache!

2.) Andy Carroll - where do you start? Consistency you're right is essential, but remember Lucas when he first arrived? We all said the same thing you're saying now about Carroll.

3.) Frustration abounds mate, we all feel it & no you aren't a bad fan for saying so. I think that whilst LFC did well to buy early, we shop windowed so  many players it was the Valencia Friendly before we saw anything remotely resembling a  team you'd start the Season with! End result, the team never (to me it seemed) gelled together in pre-season as others did, and I think we paid for it & are now constantly playing cath up because of it.

4.) This point I'd agree with wholeheartedly - Craig Bellamy has more than justified a astarting place, and he seemes to have formed a far better partnership with Luis Suarez than Andy Carroll (who just doesn't seem to think as fast as Suarez)

5.) I don't think Suarez DOES dive - but I DO think that like many players (Christiano Ronaldo anyone?) have been told to go down if they feel any contact whatsoever as sadly there's little reward for honesty ( I remember Lucas last year nearly had his legs taken out from under him, stayed on his feet & got nothing for it! Had he gone down, he'd have gotten a penalty or free kick as it was in the box)

6) The pass & move game is what LFC have always been about  & Kenny will never abandon a style of play that has won Liverpool(& Barcelona) so many honours - lumping long balls forward/constantly peppering the goal gives the opposition goalie a workout, but will just waste possession. what we need to do is be more clinical in front of goal - I think like many we need a "Fox in the Box" striker in the Michael Owen/Robbie Fowler/Ian Rush mould to get the full advantage of players like Adam & Downing

 7.) Charlie Adam - yes I agree with you here, but his last few corners/pens/ free kicks have been dire! I was beginning to wonder if we should send him to SpecSavers!

8.) Dirk Kuyt - I think he often finds himself so far up thepitch with no support so he has no choice but to pass back to keep possession (it exhausts your oposiotion when you make them chase the game contantly - its why Barca have been so successful with their Tikki Taka (pass & move) style,they pass it back/forward/sideways & make you run yourselves ragged, then they move in for the kill, I don't think there's a team playing that  are so patient in pursuit of victory!)

9.) Dowing - so talented, but like Henderson & Carroll - so inconsistent, he was brilliant for England, but has yet to reproduce the form for LFC (having said that I've seen comments from Villa fans who say he was a really slow starter when he first arrived at Villa Park)

10) Hendo will come good, remember Lucas - sorry to keep bringing him up, but hes'a great example of a player nobody thought would cut it - look at him now!

11) & 12) - no argument, we do need another striker (people will flame me for this, but I'd have Fernando Torres back tomorrow (especially if Chavski would throw Sturridge in too!) - can you imagine Nando playing with Suarez/Bellamy?? The mouth waters at the prospect!!

13), 14), & 15) I agree 100%

16) I fancy our chances, we've done well so far against opposition of this calibre in the Carling Cup

17) Sorry hun, but I really can't see Arsenal OR Chavski beating Real Madrid, and as for Barca, there are very few teams that can live with Barcelona's first team right now (& did you SEE their B team against Bate Borisov? They were AWESME & thats the second team!!). There are only a handfull of English clubs that have EVER beaten Barca home or away, and we are one of them (twice!!)

I don't think yuo're a bad fan to say what you have, but Kenny doesn't owe us anything but we as fans owe him. We need to back him 100%, even though we ALL have doubts over some players/tactics - we have to trust that a man of Kennys experience & talent will find the solution to make LFC tick. Met Ronnie Wheelan this week & asked him what he thought - he said he believes Kenny will get it right & we are playing some really good football once again but need to be more consistent - and he should know, think of the players he shared a pitch with!

So, lets all get behind the team we ALL love, and COME ON YOU REDMEN - NO GUTS NO GLORY, !!!!!!!!

YNWA & Happy Christmas Ezanih - I hope one day we can meet at Anfield & talk footie over  a drink or three (well, mine's a diet Coke!)

 

Ok, @Scousedancer. I'm sorry too. And yes, you have a right to stick to what you say and I respect that. You have some good points too.
I want to know where I'm rude and offensive.
And I'd like to know where I was wrong.
Thanks.
(I don't claim to be a Dan Wakfield. I did not make it to Istanbul. And I can't raise myself to be singing songs to get Reds team up when we were already 3-0 down against Milan, I would have thought all is over and have my heads down. So to all the Reds fans who still manage to hold their heads high, singing songs and lifting Stevie G and company to finally get that last penalty and win, the 12th man so to speak, I SALUTE YOU, I SALUTE YOU, I SALUTE YOU. I admit I am a lower level fan than you guys. Only an armchair critique.
However I do have some opinions of my own which I think is sound and which I think will make Reds a better team. I just want the comfort to be able to state that opinion without being hacked and name called by persons who give no reasons whatsoever why they disagree with me.
1. Kenny should sub and get fresh legs in during the break when there is still enough time to change the game, not in the last 10-15 mins. Surely there's not enough time left to change the game then. By saying this, does this make me a bad person?
2. Andy Carroll has had time he played well (Everton, Wolves, Chelski Carling Cup match), and has had times he didn't play well (eg.Fulham). When he plays well, he runs himself to the ground - with 100% commitment and enthusiasm. Can he try to do that more consistently, like in all games instead of just a few? By saying this, does this make me a bad person?
3. We beat ManC 3-0 last season. We beat Manure 3-1 last season. We beat Fulham 5-2 last season. So why are we drawing and losing games with them this season with the same player and the same manager, refs bad decision and fan name calling aside? We should rise to the occasion and show what Reds are truly made of. By saying this, does this make me a bad person?
4. Belles should start in every game possible and not be subbed until the ref's final whistle because he has the best commitment I have ever seen in a Red.By saying this, does this make me a bad person?
5. Suarez should stop falling down too easily too often. He should build himself stronger inside. By saying this, does this make me a bad person?
6. Reds should shoot at goal more often and lessen the passing when up front.
7. Adam should take the free kicks ALWAYS as far as possible.
8. Kuyt should try to make more dominant forward runs  in a confident manner. Why is he backpassing all the time like a scared little cat?
9.Downing has great accurate crosses. He should be played more often.
10. I still can't see Hendo but I'm trying really hard. We need wins now and strong confident midfielders/flanks but this guy is still developing and not taking players head on one on one.
11. We need a right winger. Downing is already doing a great job.
12. We shouldn't be over reliant on Suarez. We need a great twin striker to partner Suarez. Give me Sturridge. Or Tevez. Or Soldado. Or Villa. They are all good to get us results now if we put age and future development matters aside for the moment.
13. WE ARE GOOD TO WIN THE CARLING CUP SO LET'S DO IT ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Would not accept a lesser result.
14. WE ARE GOOD TO WIN THE MANCS IN ALL THREE GAMES IN JANUARY SO LETS DO IT ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Would not accept a lesser result.
15. WE ARE GOOD TO BE IN TOP 4 BY END OF THIS SEASON LET'S DO IT BY WINNING GAMES ! ! ! ! !  Would not accept a lesser result.
16. FA Cup ? Ah..still in the early stage. I'll reserve my comments on this till later hi hi hi hi hi
17. MANCS AND MANURE ARE OUT OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. THAT LEAVES ARSENAL AND CHELSEA. VERY GOOD LUCK TO THEM TO CARRY THE PRIDE OF BRITISH FOOTBALL. Can Arsenal, Chelsea beat Real Madrid, Barcelona? YES OH YES !!! Anyone saying no automatically becomes my enemy. Name yourselves.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND THAT INCLUDES SCOUSEDANCER, GROTTONRED AND TOXTETHRED ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !