We’re at that time of the year again.  Every manager, player and fan are being asked how the year that is about to end has gone for them, while great analysis is being made of 2006.  Never being one to stand out from the crowd, I decided to follow suit and remember what went on in a year that included another cup win, and memorable wins and defeats.

The Second Coming and Encouraging Start - January 06

2006 nearly started off in the worst possible fashion as El Hadji Diouf, of all people, looked like he he’d ended the Reds ten game unbeaten domestic run at the Reebok on the 2nd.  Thankfully, Luis Garcia was on hand to maintain the run, starting us with a respectable draw to keep us as definite ‘outsiders’ in the title race.

The Saturday after we fell in love again with the FA Cup, especially after last year’s dismal journey to Burnley, with a superb encounter against Mike Newell’s Luton Town.  The no mark home fans, battling opponents and shite ground added to the tea time atmosphere, as the Reds won 5-3 after being 3-1 down.  Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso both scored stunners, and Florent Sinama Pongolle had the away end bouncing as he scored twice to make it 4-3.  Alonso topped off a memorable game with his first goal from his own half of the year.

Despite a loss at Old Trafford, the performance was one that warranted three points, with the strikers frustrating.  Djibril Cisse, already many people’s prediction to struggle to end the year as a Red, in particular missed seemingly easy opportunities.  Off the park, any chance to ram home the fact we’d won a European Cup not so long ago was duly taken.

But the biggest story of January was the return of Robbie Fowler.  For years the return of “God” was whispered around Liverpool by those apparently ‘in the know’, but as news filtered through on the Friday before the end of the transfer window there was no doubt that this was the real deal.

We finished January with a comprehensive victory away to Portsmouth, despite letting Pompey back into it with a late rally.  Man United may have handed us our first league defeat since October, but the return of Fowler and the start of our FA Cup run meant that 2005’s momentum was carried into the New Year in style.

Revenge on the Mancs and More Frustrations - February 06

The visit of Birmingham on the first day of February brought the debut of a player who was to end 2006 as a huge part of the team, Daniel Agger.  Despite a shaky start, not to mention having to remove the studs of Damien Johnson early on, the signs of the calm, assured passing from the back were evident at times.  Fowler’s first appearance in a Liverpool shirt as a 70th minute substitute blew the roof off, although his perfect return was ruined when his ‘winner’ was deemed offside.  Xabi Alonso’s late own goal was to start a three match run of defeats that blew any faint title hopes out of the water.

If defeat at Stamford Bridge was hard to stomach, Robben’s antics to get Pepe Reina sent off was the equivalent of the full on shits.  It’s ironic really that his manager ends 2006 accusing other players of diving and simulating.  Defeat at Charlton days later was the Mirror’s cue to label it an “Anfield Crisis” although it usually only takes the groundsman to put a corner flag in incorrectly for them to label it that usually.

A win against Arsenal at home and Wigan away got us going again, but it was the arrival of Man United in the FA Cup that will be best remembered from Febuary.  Chance of revenge had come very early for us, for Ferdinand’s undeserved winner, for their fans and police forces lack of effort in stopping woman getting smacked outside and especially for Gary “fucking” Neville.  Peter Crouch and the others on the field duly obliged and we were well on the way to our seventh trip to the Principality.

A one-nil defeat in the impressive Estadio de Luz didn’t dampen spirits, and we still sung that come May “in Gay Paree, we’ll win it six times.”  You don’t come back from three down against Milan and then let a one goal deficit bother you ..

Out of Europe, But in The Goals. - March 06

Charlton continued to piss everyone off by holding us to a scoreless bore draw, with Robbie yet again offside after grabbing what looked like the winner.  But it was Benfica’s visit that was a low point in the year, as goals from one time Liverpool target Simao and Fabrizo Miccolli sent us out of Europe for the first time since Marseille did in March 2004.  Things went from bad to worse as Stevie Gerrard’s mistimed, misplaced and everything else beginning with mis’ed back pass found the lurking Thierry Henry who dispatched it past Pepe Reina to leave February looking likely to take over November as our official nightmare month.

Thankfully the fixture list and FA Cup draw was kind to us, as first off Fulham came to town, and their 5-1 hammering made them wish they hadn’t bothered.  We then went to Newcastle, and defeated them, with Agger in particular impressing.  A 7-0 trashing of the hapless Birmingham was then followed by a superb Derby win, as, even with ten men, the Reds produced a superb performance to beat the Welshmen for the second time in the season.  Charlie Nicholas, Steve Curry and Jimmy Hill all proclaimed we’d been lucky, and on another day Birmingham and Newcastle would’ve beaten us, whilst claiming Rafa should be sacked for fucking up England’s World Cup hopes by having the cheek to play his best right midfielder on the right of midfield.

Feeling at home at Old Trafford - April 06

Wins against West Brom and Bolton meant that we were keeping the pressure on Man United in the second place spot, and we then carried on that form with a win at Blackburn.  A particularly stupid and awkward situation was finally solved when Liverpool and Blackburn agreed to play the game on the sixteenth, something Liverpool were aware of since the first day fixtures were announced in June/July.

But when the Reds went to Old Trafford to defeat Chelsea in the semi of the FA Cup final another trip to Wales was booked, and the defeat to the Rent boys in February suddenly seemed a long time ago.  Chelsea fans were hardly even heard as Luis Garcia and John Arne Riise fired us two goals ahead before Drogba pulled one back.  Charlie Nicholas and Brian Woolnough agreed that we’d devalued the FA Cup by beating Mourinho, he’d never won it before and it’s not fair we keep beating him in Semi finals.

Third place and more Cup Success - May 06

Two wins against Villa and Portmouth weren’t enough to leapfrog the Mancs into second place, but, like the year before, the games were a secondary attraction as fans made plans and talked about the Cup final ahead.

We all know what happened in Cardiff that day, and what a day it was. I never thought I’d see a better final than the Michael Owen one in 2001, yet that was bettered days later with the amazing 5-4 victory in Dortmund days later. That was then topped four years later in Istanbul, and whilst this one never reached those heights (What would?) it shows how lucky and spoilt we are to have witnessed and celebrated successes like these, and these are just in the last five years.

Dave Prentice told us that he wasn’t arsed because, in a woolly accent, he told us “You merderin Redshites aren’t even from Liverpool and we can get half season tickets.”

England World Cup Hopes Fade and Die (Again) - June 06

As England struggled against those renowned football nations such as Trinidad and Ecuador, twats who know fuck all and don’t bother with footy packed the pubs and screamed for England to win the World Cup. The joy of watching stupid fucking bints with red and white wigs and face paints crying as they went out was a joy to behold. Brian Woolnough blamed those dodgy foreign types who play in our country, especially the fucking Spanish cunts.

Pre-season - July 06

July brought about new signings in the shape of Fabio Aurelio, Mark Gonzalez, Craig Bellamy and Gabriel Paletta. After a seemingly endless pursuit of Daniel Alves, Jermaine Pennant was signed for the sum of a hefty £7m. After annual wins at Crewe and Wrexham, our performances in Switzerland and Germany were poor, a five nil reverse against Mainz alarming even for a pre-season game. Andy Gray was spotted partying like it was 1984 upon hearing the news of our five goal defeat.

Finally some proper footy - August 06

Another trip to Cardiff signalled the start of the new season, and as we outnumbered the Chelsea fans 1:3 off the pitch, on the pitch we beat them two to one, with Riise and Crouch scoring. Dirk Kuyt was signed through the next week from Feyernoord, with cynics around the World enquiring whether the Reds had only signed the Dutchman as a pretty boy to sell shirts to the Chinese market.

A 1-1 draw at the delightful Bramell Lane wasn’t an ideal way to start the season, but we followed it with another 1-1 draw against Maccabi Haifa in Kiev, ensuring our Champions League proper qualification. A two one victory over West Ham was a relief, although international football again made sure we’d only played twice in the league in the month of August.

Can we start again? - September 06

We started September with a game somewhere near home, although I can’t recall the score.

We started off our campaign in Europe with a respectable draw in the Netherlands, although the scenes in Amsterdam the night before showed that Reds were sure making up for lost time on the continent.  This was followed by a defeat at Stamford Bridge by a superb Drogba goal, although the performance was a positive.

Xabi’s second goal in a year from his own half capped off a good win at home to the, yet again, hapless Newcastle and wins against Tottenham and Galatasary show some promise for our domestic and European hopes.  Then came a defeat against Bolton away, more or less ending any hopes we had of making 2007 the year for number nineteen.  All by the end of September.

European Highs, Domestic Lows - October 06

October started with an average draw at home against Blackburn, followed by a decent one nil win away to Bordeaux.  But the season was to take yet another nosedive as, although eleven players in yellow shirts were indeed on the pitch at Old Trafford, none of them actually turned up (I know Reina was in a Blue shirt but you know what I mean!).  After two performances against United in 2006 that seemed to show that we were, at the very least, equal to them all over the pitch, this was a sharp shock to the system.

A win in the Carling Cup against a Reading who didn’t want to win was followed by a good 3-1 victory against Villa, although at least Martin O’Neil didn’t have far to go home.  What do you mean he didn’t really buy half the houses in Southport?

Victory against shocking Bordeaux at home ensured we were more or less through in our group, with Stevie Gerrard getting off the mark for the season.  Rodney Marsh was on hand to say “See?  I told you, play him in the middle.  What’s this fucking Benitez ever won compared to the mighty Rodney Marsh, eh?”

Can we have a mid season break in November from now on? - November 06

A narrow win away to Birmingham in the League Cup was followed by a dire defeat by three goals in the “Riverside on Steroids” stadium.  Somehow managing to draw at the “Riverside on nothing” stadium compounded the mood around the terraces as we somehow managed to draw a blank against one of the worst defences in the country.

A two nil win against PSV ensured we finished the group stages in top spot with a game to go, and a frustrating game against Man City was only saved as Joey Barton proved he’s just a “shit Bolo Zenden” as he passed to Dirk Kuyt who set Steven Gerrard up for the decisive goal.

We couldn’t carry on the form though as Portsmouth visited Anfield and left with a point.

Mickey Thomas told me after this game that Harry Redknapp should be named Anfield boss immediately, before offering me “120 for eighty quid, look dead real too”, whatever that means.

December

Well December’s been a lot better.  Craig Bellamy’s improvement has sparked a superb run of high scoring game, as we’ve thrashed Wigan, Fulham and Charlton in successive weeks.  Third in the league after an inconsistent start isn’t too bad, even though the title seems miles away even a few months into a long season.  We’ve swapped Cisse for Kuyt, Morientes for Bellamy and added Agger, Aurelio and others to the squad, leaving us in a better shape than the squad that faced Bolton twelve months ago.

The main news in December though was the news that investment seems to be on it’s way in the form of the Dubai consortium.  From reports from those who are qualified enough to know about this, it seems an exciting thing, which I’m sure we’ll be talking a lot more about come 2007.

Last years summary would’ve said the same, but 2006, whilst having more than it’s fair share of frustrations and disappointments, has improved us as a team whilst providing us with examples of exactly why we exist – to win trophies. With Benitez at the helm and key plays like Agger, Carragher, Sissoko, Alonso, Gerrard et al in the squad, let’s hope numbers nineteen, six and eight aren’t too far away.

Here’s to 2007, and let’s hope trips to Cardiff and sunny Athens come May …

After Xabi Alonso endured a slight World Cup hangover and started the season off poorly by his own standards, it’s no co-incidence that the Reds have started looking like a different team lately as our Spanish maestro steps his seemingly effortless game up.

When Alonso was signed in the summer of 2004, internet forums and workplaces were awash with avid Spanish football watchers heralding the Basque’s arrival for £10.5m. In recent Liverpool history, it has been these kind of arrivals that have resulted in the biggest disapointments, but from the moment he made his home debut, spreading passes from left to right to the delight of the drooling Kop against a helpless Norwich City, Alonso was a firm favourite with team mates, management and especially on the terraces.
The away game that season against Fulham only added to his already hero status, as he replaced the hapless Salif Diao and changed the game from a certain defeat to a (sort of) resounding victory. His comeback performances against Juventus, after playing just fourty five minutes in three months, and role in the European Cup win ensured the Spaniard got the credit across Europe he deserved.

There’s no-one better to watch than Alonso. His technique at striking a ball is something I could watch all day, from controlling a strike at goal in mid air, to putting just enough curl on a pass, as the banner says “Piccaso’s a Painter, Alonso’s an artist”.

He’s an excellent ball winner too, never shirking a tackle. Whilst of our Spanish contingent Josemi didn’t think whilst tackling and Garcia doesn’t think of challenging, Alonso never dives in uneccessarily and rarely misjudges his challenges. His positioning, especially when he sticks to the centre circle, means he’s usually the first pass Pepe or the back four can make, and he’s in a prime position to thread passes between defence and attack.
It’s not as black and white as saying that when Alonso plays well, Liverpool play well, but having him on song in the middle makes a huge difference in whether we see the early season Liverpool or the Liverpool that have made strides towards moving up the table of late.

And that’s why “Everyone wants to know … Alonso, Alonso, Alonso …”

After the doom n’ gloom of October and November it’s amazing what a difference a couple of victories make. Liverpool have finally hit a patch of form, or perhaps the fixture list has relented slightly. Whichever it is there’s no doubt that things are looking up. The performance against Charlton wasn’t perfect, to dominate a team in that way and still be only one up with 15 minutes to play isn’t good for those of nervous disposition. Still there was much to admire in the attacking football we played, a touch more ruthlessness and we’d have been setting records.

With both United and Chelsea well away there’s little hope for a league challenge this year, I reckon splitting the pair is as much as we can aim for. There’s still loads to play for though, a couple of cup ties with Arsenal and a mouthwatering clash with Barcelon on the horizon offer the hope that the team is hitting form at a crucial moment in the season.

We’ve only seen glimpses of the consistency and organisation of last year. If the manager and team can only raise their game just a fraction and keep it there this could still be a season to remember.

There will be a collection before the Fulham game at Anfield on Saturday for Zöe’s Place Baby Hospice. Forty volunteers will be stood inside each of the turnstiles collecting for the very worthwhile charity which RAWK has been more than happy to support in recent years.

Zöe’s Place is the only Baby Hospice in the UK, providing respite and palliative care for babies with life threatening and life limiting conditions. As we do not receive any statutory funding we rely solely on the generosity of local individuals and organisations to meet annual running costs in excess of £650,000. Therefore, our collection at Anfield on Saturday is extremely important to our fundraising efforts.

Please give any spare change you can to help a charity that does so much good work on Merseyside.

For more information on Zöe’s Place, to offer support or to donate online, you visit their excellent website:

http://www.zoes-place.org.uk

Number 4

Sami Hyypia
Sami Hyypia came to Liverpool in the summer of 1999 from Dutch side Willem II, one of Gerard Houllier’s signings in order to shore up the defence to play alongside another new signing Stephane Henchoz. “Sami who?” many people asked. Finnish footballers werent well known in the European Leagues at the time. However Sami Hyypia took to the Premiership like a duck to water, becoming many fans’ player of the season in his first season, and earning comparisons to Alan Hansen. He also was trusted enough to take the captaincy when both captain and vice captain Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler were injured. If his first season was good, his second got better. Liverpool played 63 games in total that season, with Sami playing 62 of that 63. Amazingly for a defender, he went an entire season without a single booking, a run that from the previous season, spanned a whopping 87 matches without a booking, in a season where he played an instrumental part in Liverpool’s UEFA, FA and Carling Cup victories and helped them qualify for the Champions League.

The following season, he was instrumental in leading Liverpool to second place in the League, where they were very unlucky to finish behind a phenomenal Arsenal side. This led to high hopes for the following season but many players looked jaded and the team as a whole slumped. Sami did enjoy lifting one trophy as he captained the Reds to a Worthington Cup win over Manchester United, but it was a season to forget for most Reds fans. Sami also blemished his impeccable disciplinary record when he was rather harshly red carded against Manchester United, setting the tone for a miserable 4-0 defeat.

At the start of the 2003/04 season, Sami’s form hit a slight slump and he was replaced as captain by Steven Gerrard, Sami became vice captain, though, being a true professional, accepted this and got on with his game, helping the team reach 4th place and qualify for the Champions League

Sami returned at the beginning of the next season to a new manager as Rafael Benitez came to Anfield. The famed Henchoz-Hyypia partnership was also no more as Jamie Carragher partnered Sami in central defence. Sami’s positon came under threat in January as Rafa signed Mauricio Pellegrino from Valencia. Benitez tactic became a masterstroke however as Sami was rested in domestic games but was then able to play a significant role in Liverpool’s run to Istanbul and while not too much at fault for Milan’s goals in the first half, the big Finn, along with his indomitable partner played an integral part in keeping Crespo and Shevchenko at bay as Liverpool overcame all odds and became Champions of Europe for the 5th time.

The following season, despite beginning the season in July, Sami Hyypia kept going and although one of the older players on the side and despite having played more games than anyone else that season, he was still one of the few players still standing at the end of Liverpool’s FA Cup victory over West Ham.

In his home country of Finland, Sami is very highly regarded by Finnish fans, winning the Finnish footballer of the year award on many occasions(almost enjoying virtually a duopoly with Jari Litmanen) and is helping Finland on their campaign to try and reach a major tournament

Back at Liverpool, his position has come under threat somewhat, due tot he emergence of up and coming Dane, Daniel Agger.

However Sami, after 7 years at the club, still remains as superb a reader of the game as ever, keeps himself in impeccable fitness and has no pace to lose. It would be fitting to see him retire as a Liverpool player and he will surely go down as one of Liverpool’s greats.

We salute you Sami

Number 3

3 European Cups

Bob Paisley the most successful manager in English League history and former right-hand man to Bill Shankly who created the modern Liverpool, is the only manager in the history of the European Cup to have won it three times. Won it in Rome, defended it at Wembley and won it again in Paris.

It is a crying shame that Bob Paisley has not been recognised offically for his deeds, he’s my favourite manager, more than the mighty Bill as he took Liverpool FC onwards and upwards.
On the first advent of Christmas, its only right that we light a candle to a man and manager who will never be usurped, certainly not by any Johnny Come Lately Portuguese, certainly not by any long in the tooth and nose Scotsman and certainly not by any other manager I can think of in the world.

Bob Paisley, we salute you.

Each day up to Christmas, we’ll be opening one of the doors of the RAWK Advent Calendar.

It’s the 1st December so behind the door of number 1 is:

Number one

RAY CLEMENCE. My favourite No.1

Stats
Date of Birth: 05-08-1948
Birthplace: Skegness
Debut : 16th September 1969 v Dundalk (H) European Fairs Cup: Won 10-0
1st team games: 666
International caps 61

Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship 1972/73, 1975/76, 1976/77, 1978/79 & 1979/80, FA Cup 1974, European Cup 1977, 1978 & 1981, UEFA Cup 1973 & 1976, Charity Shield 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979 & 1980, European Super Cup 1977 .

Succeeding the great Tommy Lawrence as regular first choice in 1970, Clem was a brilliant goalie who shone out in an era of great goalies: Shilton, Banks, Pat Jennings, and so on…

Clemence got 61 caps but even though Shilton got twice that, for my money Ray was the better goalkeeper. But I’m biased as he played in my all time favourite Liverpool team, that of the European Cup Winning side in 1977.

As the .tv site tells us, “In the great 1978-79 title-winning campaign, when Bob Paisley’s side set a points record of 68 under the old two-points-for-a-win system, ever present Clemence conceded a record low of 16 goals.”

16 goals in a season. To put it in perspective, we’ve let in 15 so far this year.

The facts will tell you that he sadly moved onto Spurs in 1981, but the heart tells you that a goalie lasting 12 years at a club in the heyday of mud battled centre-forwards, being allowed to basically body check anyone in front of them, was truly amazing.

Clemence was a nice guy, a real red and he came from Scunthorpe as did Kevin Keegan. Keegan usually gets all the glory in the annals of LFC but for my money, Ray Clemence was one of my favourite all-time players. The applause he got on his return to Anfield when with Spurs shows the esteem he was held in.

Now a regular figure in the England set-up, Ray has always been a great member of that exclusive club, the ex-red. Long may he reign as Liverpool’s best goalie.

Number one in the RAWK Advent Calendar - the number one goalie for us, Ray Clemence.

Number 2

2 is also for Phil Neal, our most decorated player

Date of Birth: 20/02/51 
Birthplace: Irchester, Northamptonshire 
Debut : 16 November 1974 v Everton (a) Football League Division One: drew 0-0 
1st team games: 648 
1st team goals: 60 
Other clubs: Northampton Town, Bolton Wanderers (player/manager, then manager), England (coach), Coventry City (manager), Cardiff City (manager), Manchester City (manager) 
International caps while with Liverpool: 50 
International goals while with Liverpool: 5 
Honours with Liverpool: First Division Championship: 1975/76, 1976/77, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83 & 1983/84, League (Milk) Cup 1981, 1982, 1983 & 1984, European Cup 1977, 1978, 1981 & 1984, UEFA Cup 1976, Charity Shield 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979, 1980 & 1982, European Super Cup 1977 

Bob Paisley plucked Neal from Fourth Division obscurity at Northampton and transformed him into a player who would captain Liverpool, make 650 appearances, collect a joint-record eight Championship medals amongst a batch of honours and win 50 England caps.
He was Paisley’s first signing, costing just £66,000 in October 1974, and was plunged into his top flight debut against Everton at Goodison a month later. Neal grasped his surprise opportunity to launch a glittering career essentially as a right back but with the capability of playing anywhere across the back line.

His tally of 60 goals was amassed largely through his expertise from the penalty spot, although one from open play proved to be a golden strike. His goal against Roma in the 1984 European Cup Final ensured Liverpool went into a victorious penalty shoot-out against the Italians on their own ground.

Seven years earlier at the same stadium he had dispatched the penalty against Borussia Moenchengladbach, which clinched Liverpool’s first European Cup triumph with a 3-1 win. He became Bolton player boss in 1985 and later managed Coventry.