Liverpool 4 Fulham 0

What a wierd week!Two 4-0 wins with the Maktoum takeover sandwiched in the middle.This week the opposite to last weeks game was achieved.Four first half goals last week and this week 4 second half goals with no reply in either.I wonder if this has ever happened before!Anyone out there know! I remember back in the sixties a reverse score against Spurs i think over the easter period, cant quite remember but i think it was 5-1 one game and 1-5 the other! let us know if you can remember!

Back to this week! A solid performance from Liverpool although Fulham held their own in the first half.There was a few scares in the Fulham goalmouth and a few shouts for hand ball in the box.Think the ref got them both right though so 0-0 at haldftime possibly about right!

Third time lucky in the second half though as again the ball was handled this time from a shot from Kuyt.Gerrard scored from the rebound after his poor penalty was parried straight back to him!The second goal was significant in that it was Jamie Carraghers first premiership goal in 8 years!!At this point it really was game over!
A third was to follow from the head of Garcia from a Bellamy cross and Mark Gonzalez made it four with the last kick of the game from a free kick!

The reds sit fourth in the table tonight and having secured a last 16 place in the Champions League it has been a great week.With Gonzale
z back from injury quicker than expected and Alonsos return all of a sudden the Reds look like their old selves lets hope it continues!

REDS TAKEOVER!!!

Although the official LFC website has no news on the proposed takeover the national newspapers are full of it.The DIC finance group which is the finance or business arm of the Maktoum empire in Dubai are reportedly the interested party.A £450m buy out has been suggested valuing LFC shares at £4500.David Moores is reported as wanting to hold onto a 10% share as a lifelong president.LFC directors are welcoming these overtures as DIC have made it clear to the club that the day to day running will still be in their hands although the finance director of DIC is expected to become the new chairman with Rick PARRY being retained as chief executive.

Fans have expressed mixed feelings about the possible takeover.It is hard to see how the character and culture of the club will remain intact.Multi millionaires taking over top sides in the premiership is fast becoming the norm.Liverpool however are in debt and with the spiralling costs of a new stadium on the horizon it is inevitable the current set up at Anfield simply doesnt have the kind of money required.The choice is simple.No money means Liverpool will inevitably slide into a permanent also ran like most of the premiership.Just being a premiership club is not equal to the expectations of either club nor fans.In order to compete with Man Utd and Chelsea in particular there has to be the finance in place to bring better quality players to the club. If the fans are the heart of the club then no matter where we play or who is in charge then the millionaires cant buy the fans or their humour.

Liverpool 1 Man City 0

With Alonso, Gonzalez, Sissoko and Pennant all on the sidelines fans were wondering what the team would be.Rafas solution was Agger at left back with Riise in front of him.Gerrard back in the middle with Zenden and Garcia as the wide men.Crouch started upfront with Kuyt.This was an attacking line up alright and we had lots of posession but a lack of quality again upfront was nearly our undoing.If we had of lost it would have been undeserved but not a surprise.

Gerrard brushes off Thatcher as his first premiership goal speeds into the net!

It wasnt till the 68th minute that the City defence was unlocked. A loose ball by Dunne of all people let in Gerrard to strike unerringly from just outside the box.Looking at this strike you wondered why he had a problem all season. Maybe thats the end of that.Fowler came on in the second haldf as did Pennant whose knock earlier in the week proved to be not as serious as first thought.Two or three goals should really have been scored but still it is a win and three points so lets make the most of it.We have some good games coming up..Portsmouth at Anfield next week then Wigan...away..more great chances to get back in the top four!!

Business as usual...

No News on the takeover bid ..so it is biz as usual today as Liverpool bid to keep up their home record against a Man city team who have an equally impressive home record as the Reds but are similar in that they do not travel well.

A dogged display against P.S.V. on wednesday saw the Reds notch up another last 16 spot in the Champions League. Both goals were from assists from the flying dutchman , lets hope hes on the mark today!

The subs bench will be quite interesting to day with Pennant, Sissoko, Alonso and Gonzalez all out of action.. Will there be a spot for a youngster seeing as our midfield is so depleted...RAFA please take note DAnny Guthrie is ready..or how about playing Agger in midfield and bring back the Sampster (hyppia) thats "hippier" not "herrpierr" as the commentators like to call him ,who i think is having a great season.

We have a decent record against city but it not an easy call this one.We always look jaded after Euro games whether home or away. " Glazers got his dollars , Abramovich has got his roubles but Rafas got 5 Euros".... enough said....

Looking forward to tomorrows live Sky game.Shame Drogba and Ballack may be missing aint it? Yes i know im a sterotypical scouser.Caught between arock and ahrd place. Dont want Man u to take the title but Chelsea??? Well it does look between the two .Although Arsenal i think are a better teram than both they have a nasty habit of "overplaying" which can cost them points...Newcastle drawing at the Emirates .. jeez you couldnt have got odds offa Gazzer for that one.... !! Anyways guys some good games coming up... let s hope i can get tickets!!!

Takeover rumours at Anfield.

Looks like things are finally starting to happen at Anfield regarding the input of finance to the club.David Moores looks like he has accepted the inevitable in that he cant get funds into LFC and maintain a controlling interest himself.Rumours say three parties are at the final negotiation stage one of which is American based and was the former owner of the Harlem Globetrotters .It has been mooted that Moores 17000 shares will see a return for him of 68million plus a further input of 60 million to the club by the way of unsubscribed shares.The club is reportedly currently in debt to the tune of 20 million and the costs of the new stadium in Stanley Park are inevitably going to increase.

More information from the club will be forthcoming on Thursday when there is a general meeting of the directors.

Watch this space....

MiddlesBoro 0 Liverpool 0

Stevie G has a pop from distance but his shot is blocked!











Middlesboro v Liverpool never conjurs up the image of a footballing feast and so it proved again at the Riverside on Saturday. The Reds fielded Bellamy and Kuyt up front which looked a more offensive line up than in usual away games.Gonzalez had another chance on the left while Stevie G was played in his favoured midfield role.Is Rafa listening to the fans or to the media? Whichever is true you can only say he did the best with the players at his disposal.

Liverpool did enough in the game to have won it but once again the quality in front of goal was missing.Bellamy didnt have one effort on goal all game and sadly misread a perfect through ball from Gerrard that showed how out of touch this guy is at the moment ..it seems it is a bit different playing a resolute Boro side than the minnows of Liechtenstein in a Welsh jersey.

Kuyt was also guilty of missing a golden opportunity when he fired wide from Gerrards excellent through ball. At the other end Morrison on the wide right caused few problems but on one occasion he laid on a gem for Yakubu, his initial strike palmed away by Reina , then a horrible miscue from the rebound when a goal looked certain summed up Boros day.But then again do you deserve anyhtin g froma game when you play one man up front at home against a side like Liverpool who still havent scored from open play in the Premiership away from Anfield.

It was a better performance and a better game than the dour affair that was the golaess outcome last season in this fixture but Benitez must still be perplexed why this side just cant break this poor run. Maybe a hatful of goals against PSV in the Champions league next may be the start of better things.A victory on Wednesday night will ensure passage to the last 16.

WELCOME TO THE HEART OF THE KOP!

Hi and welcome to the heart of the kop a blog site purely devised for news of Liverpool Football Club.

You are welcome to post comments on any aspect of the club whether it be to do with performance on the pitch or anything else to do with the club.Any funny stories from fans travels will be included if you post as a comment i will publish on the blog.Anyhtingh that will add to the poipularity of the blog will be included.Strictly no vitriol,abuse or otherwise will not be tolerated.This blog is aimed at FANS not band wagon supporters.

Lets remind ourselves how famous Liverpool FC are and how successful. League Champions, 18 times, F.A. Cup Winners 6 times, League Cup Winners 7 times,European Champions 5 times, Eufa Cup Winners 3 times, Super Cup Winners 2 times and numerous Charity Shields.In short the most SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH CLUB EVER.

Now to business.... Arsenal 3 Liverpool 0


Liverpools current run of 5 successive wins came to an abrupt halt at the Emirates when a rampant Arsenal finished up clear and decisive winners on the day. Liverpool started with Kuyt and Crouch up front with Zenden in the midfield to replace the luckless Sissoko.Gerrard again was on the right of midfield with Mark Gonzalez on the wide left.On paper this looked a strong side but in reality lots of frailties were uncoverd by an Arsenal side that were up for the game.They played at a high tempo and Liverpool struggled to keep up.The faster the game was played the more Liverpool looked ill at ease with their passing game.Although Liverpool defended well for most of the half with only limited chances at the other end you had the feeling that Arsenal would score and it was only a matter of time.When Arsenal come forward it is always with numbers giving them better chances to score.Liverpool on the other hand when they did get forward never seemed to have enough men.Anything that came high in the box was dealt with comfortably by the Arsenal defence, Peter Crouch never really being able to make an impact.Gonzalez on the left was never really successful and maybe should have been subbed before half time.His time will come , im sure but it may have been wiser by Benitez to include a more experienced player such as Bellamy on the left.Steven Gerrard was never really in the game either only producing one effort on goal and that in the second half after Pennant came on.
The team although on paper are quality players but dont seem to be able to put it together when they play the top sides at the moment.

All three Arsenal goals were clinical but on analysis were all a result of poor defending by one or two players in and around the box. The Sky coverage focused on Gerrard and Riise arguing after Gallas goal as he scored from about 6 yards out with a header from an unmarked position.In reality Reina in goal was equally at fault here.When the ball came in he was rooted to the goal line and never moved.Gallas barely had to jump at all to get his head to the ball.Reina should have come and claimed it. Steve Finnan was caught wrong footed forlornly appealing for offside for the second goal.Poor defending again.He should have cut out the play and made it awkward for the scorer.In fact he was nowhere near the ball.It may be a bit harsh on Finnan as he has been the most consistent player.Carragher and Hyppia turned in their usual consistent performances.The rest of the team on the day were average at best.Despite Arsenal being a very good side there is no doubt that there were too many players again not at the races.

The Championship is out of the question.Arsenal , Chelsea and Man Utd are well in front of this current Liverpool team and it showed all too clearly at the Emirates. Rafa we need a quality left sided defensive player not a make do that Risse has become.Pepe Reina im afraid is not a top class goalie , in fact i wouldnt even rate him in the top 10 in the division.Our other area of concern is the midfield.Zenden gives the ball away too much.Gerrard either does too much or too little.Alonso is missing something too.For a suposedly great passer of the ball a lot of his passes are over hit plus he is not the greatest tackler. If we have any players in the reserves who can play a solid midfield role keeping it simple and not giving the ball away thern we need to look at deploying them now! Danny Guthrie surely must be given a chance in the first team.Yes im afraid if we want to compete with the top three we definitely need 3 quality players.



Next up //Boro at the Riverside....