Frustrating yes. But as I read the press’ announcement of our inability to break down Citeh, the lack of imagination, the let down of our players and so on, I am reminded of one thing. Man City 1 - Man Utd 0.

Of course they are ahead of us in the league, but sometimes the reporting makes it look like we are the worst team in the world. As I say, according to the press: Rafa rotates whilst Arsene rests and Alex drops. Or is ill, after the fact as was the case with Rooney. Before the match, Rooney was rested, dropped, whatever. After the loss to West Ham, that mighty pr machine from Old Trafford tells us actually he was ill. Just as all the international players are before an England friendly…

Anyway enough of the other city in the North, onto to an allnighter at Wigan.

Right, here’s your application form to be a Liverpool fan. No googling, and if you don’t know the answer to some of these questions, then this’ll be a great way of learning some of the traditions of the club we claim to support.
And no, it’s not a test of who’s a superfan, but it is a way of pointing out that our team has many traditions and you should know them.

1) What does the Kop do that no other home end does (as far as I know) to the other team?
Applaud the away goalie

2) Which player has the record for the most FA Cup appearances for Liverpool ?
According to the official site its Ian Callaghan with 79 appearances…

3) Which player has the record for the most first team appearances and what is that number?
Ian Callaghan again… (857)

4) Which division did Tommy go into?
The Highland Division from Poor Scouser Tommy

5) What is unusual (these days) about our first three European Cup victories?
The squad numbers in all three matches were 1-11, not some lotto lucky dip arrangement we have these days

6) Which song starts off red but ends up orange?
Poor Scouser Tommy - the first tune is to the Red River Valley, and it ends up singing along to the Sash which is an Orange Order tune.

7) Where would you be sat if you were in MX?
You’d have the away fans on your right, and the rest of the Main Stand on your left, you’re in the corner facing the side of the pitch, near the corner flag

8 ) What are the two scores v. Everton in Liverbird Upon my Chest ?
Should’ve been three scores of course, apologies there, and they were 1-3 to us, 3-2 and of course 5-0

9) Why does Block 121 traditionally not join in with YNWA?
Too busy taking photos of the best support in the land. 121 is the away fans block.

10)And do the Turnstile Gates letter alphabetically clockwise or anticlockwise and where’s A?
It’s anti-clockwise and it starts down by Block 102, bottom left of the Kop if you are in Kop

11)Which is the odd player out and why? Masch, Kewell, Gerrard, Hyypia, Xabi Alonso?
Lots of good and correct answers but the one I was looking for was Steven Gerrard. All the others’ main songs just contain their name, Gerrard’s doesn’t.

12)What’s the next team in this seq? Reading, Everton, Blackburn, and why?
Manchester City - it’s a list of our last 4 home games this season

13) Two firsts for the club occurred 49 years apart. What and when were they?
We won our first title in 1901 and our first Wembley Final in 1950, we lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the FA Cup Final

14) What honours did we win in 2005-6? (it did say two but there’s more oops..)
FA Cup, Charity Shield, European Super Cup, and… the FA Youth Cup.

15) Finally, which green thing started in Ireland, moved to Scotland, ended up in a pub and now travels with us wherever we go?
The song the Fields of Anfield Rd. According the official site, legend has it, “the original ‘Fields Of Athenry’ was written in 1979 and soon adopted by Celtic fans, but arguably the first time it was sung at Anfield was December 1995, when Ireland lost to Holland in their Euro 96 play-off. The Liverpool version is believed to have originated in The Oakfield pub, home of the Liverpool Away Supporters Club, around 1997.”

here’s to 12 points over the festive  period. May you get decent shinpads in your stocking and may the mighty, tricky Reds win every game put in front of them. May Rafa be given a budget, Tom and George an understanding and us, the fans, the customers, the clients, the paying public, a united front and a club that does things the Liverpool way.

Before I forget, just one thing: Pack the back heeling in unless its 27-0 to us. Gerrard’s backheel today was lazy and unwarranted and as if he was in a training game. But of course I love it when it works.

Anyway, £17m for Javier? Man Utd paid £18m for Carrick. You do the math. You’d be nuts not to sign him. But again he showed why he’s class. It was as if he needed to prove his worth. well you don’t my little Argentinian hero, you were bloody all over the place. In a good way, as opposed to the Portsmouth defence who were all over the place for other reasons.

At least we weren’t subjected to Play Up Pompey for 3 hours, largely due to the fact the Portsmouth fans had just worked out how much the 15hour drive had cost them in petrol.

we played ok, with flashes of brilliance, but didn’t look like getting out of 2nd gear. Certainly after the 2nd goal, it was an odd match - they didn’t try to attack and we didn’t want to push forward so it was all tame. Until of course, the inevitable goal that comes for the away team when we fanny about at the back.

But Harry and Torres do have an understanding and there was moment of Kewell class when he almost chipped David “Bluto beard” James.

Anyway, the match was all about Masch. He was chasing like a terrier and playing out of his skin, or just playing very well. Xabi’s gonna have a hard time displacing him. hopefully.

Off the quiet kop trotted to Christmas. Marvellous.

Just back from the match. Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

We looked jittery, a little nervous, they defended deep and once again were lucky in their goal.

I’m a like a bin. Feeling like rubbish or empty.

Just like a cold that you can’t shake off, it seems the situation at the club is still rumbling on, without the lemsip remedy of reconciliation from Rafa, having any effect.

Anyway just like that cold, it always hits you when you least need it. Here we are 24 hours from kicking off against the shower from down the East Lancs Rd, and it still seems to be kicking off behind the Shankly Gates.

However, if this is the case, the team shrugged off the uncertainity and had a great game v. Marseilles. But tomorrow is different. Never mind “It’s only 3 points”, Ferguson knows it isn’t, and anyone saying that sounds like they’re preparing a defeat speech.

Firstly, it’s about whether we’re genuinely fighting the top two teams, bugger Chelsea, - we held our own against Arsenal, and so it’s a great litmus test against the shower 33 miles away.

Secondly, it’s bragging rights, akin to the derby. I can’t stand their arrogance, their aloofness, and Ferguson’s trenchcoat mentality. He wouldn’t know maganimity if he chewed it for both halves.

well, in the words of a certain song, you can walk through a storm.

Here’s hoping we don’t walk through it, but ride it, like Red Riders on the Storm. And that the only doors being shown to anyone is those for the mancs’ title hopes.

Come on. I mean COME ON.

These comments were written on the 8th December, after the game, about our Liverpool manager:

“Support him whatever, because I’m convinced he will get it right for Liverpool and bring the Premier League to Anfield.” 

“Support him for the time being because, I feel we are progressing and we should give him a bit more time to see whether he can deliver the goods, although I am beginning to lose patience.”

“Have lost all confidence in him altogether and am prepared to put up with the consequences if he makes way for another manager.”

However it was the 8th December 2003 and it was about Gerard Houllier not Rafa. Yet scan the web fora today and you will fairly easily find any of the above comments readily available.

It seems some of us haven’t learnt from history, and yet again calling for the change to be made.

Well just to remind some newer fans to the club, the previous manager to be sacked, (prior to Houllier, who whatever people say, was sacked) was Don Welsh in 1956.

1956. That’s the same number as Man City have had managers in the last four seasons.

This isn’t a plea to those fed up with Rafa to pipe down, we’re all allowed our opinions and if you can’t voice them on the internet, then we’re all humped.

But it is a note to remind some of us with jerking knees, that

a) We’re not even in a crisis for god’s sake so why are you even mentioning the thought of changing him?

b) a.

c) And that goes for you two, too, Messers G n’ T.

d) a again.

What stays the same will be the simple fact that there are those of us who are happy to wait, and those of us who want change now. Well forget it. Read my lips: Rafa has brought us Reds red letter days (just not against Reading.) and those times have filled his goodwill balance account for a long long time to come.

Liverpool aren’t in a crisis, didn’t Man Utd draw to Reading a while back at Old Trafford. Or lose to Bolton away? So smaller clubs will get results against bigger ones. Didn’t Arsenal lose recently?

Sure our anger gets us wound up and frustration is a terrible burden on the soul but lets remember at Liverpool, a manager isn’t just for Christmas..

I have just read this:
http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=201553.new#top
Many of us are tired of seeing broadcast programmes (such as a recent edition of the ‘Daily Politics Show’; or even a passing comment on ‘Eastenders’) perpetuate the myth that the tragedy of Hillsborough was caused by ticketless Liverpool supporters rushing into the all ready full central pens and causing liverpool supporters at the front to be crushed to death.

Or getting other fans, or members of the public asking why we hate the Sun newspaper. (An oxymoron if ever there was one).

Well here is the perfect riposte. Copy and paste, or email the link to the article above. It really does simply and clearly answer all the questions a lay person may have to that terrible day. Well in Kinki.

What a good weekend to go away and not have a phone nor tv nor sports bar available. Sadly I got the result through but haven’t seen any Sunday papers nor will I go near any post match threads: http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=201706.0

should you wish to be machocistic….

best just to enjoy Boro beating Arsenal and move on to Tuesday. Better not be the same game there. Nor next Saturday. Still doesn’t mean Coppell is qualified to manage England tho..

George, Georgie, Big G, the ol Gil, Lord LFC, the yank to thank, the cereal killer, (that’s plenty)… When will you ever learn?

If the simple facts of European Football Transfer Policies are too difficult to master, how on earth will you ever get to grips with the ins and outs of the British Media?

There is a rumour that you’re popping up on Talkshite Radio next week to chat about Rafa. Well for a start I’m not sure you’re that naive, but if you are, let me introduce you to a couple of wee facts.

Talksport is disliked by Liverpool fans. Yes I think I speak for all of them. Firstly it had Kelvin MacKenzie at the helm, yes he of the lying Sun. Then since he left, its managed to sink its reputation (if possible) by being just plain ol rubbish. It hypes itself more than a Robbie Williams CD but basically it talks shite. Hence the name.

Not that endearing yourself to the Liverpool fanbase is your first concern, but surely it must be a consideration? Surely someone in your entourage is media savvy enough to say “Look boss, Talksport is a gutter tabloid form of radio and is known for being both boring and salacious (an Italian sausage) at the same time - a unique skill that takes years of talking bollocks to achieve, so don’t pop up on it and instantly get rid of the remaining goodwill you might have had with the fans”

Of course, I would recommend other media outlets if Mr Gil wanted to front a charm offensive. But who? Well I would’ve said 5Live on the BBC but they seem to hire liars regularly and most of the whoppers on 606 are just out for the day before the men in the white coats gently lead them back safely home to the self-hugging jacket.

But why speak out anyway? What’s to be gained by justifying your views on our manager? Surely enough people have said (and I’ve heard them) “Liverpool don’t wash their dirty linen in public”. Leave that to small clubs, like Newcastle for example. hee hee.

Why not have a proper talk with Mr Benitez, and both of you make a joint statement (even through white pearly gritted teeth) and point out to the world everything is fine, it was a big misunderstanding and Peace and Goodwill to all men.

Rafa may have been naive in initiating this public slanging match. Don’t you go making it worse.