Ten days after Liverpool's impressive defeat of Chelsea at Anfield, Liverpool continuted their winning form, this time at West Ham's Upton Park. It wasn't the same vintage Liverpool that Anfield witnessed some ten days before, but it was enough to keep Liverpool's winning form on track - nine wins in the last ten matches in the Premiership and a 100% record during 2007 in the same competition. Rather than spectacular Liverpool were smart, doing more than enough to travel back up North without too many bruises.

After last match's explosive start, Liverpool rather disappointed in the first forty-five minutes, as under the formation of 3-4-3 most players in the yellow shirt took their time to find their feet and maybe even their positions properly. The explosive start though duly arrived as soon as the first minute of the second half, thanks to Dirk Kuyt, again finding the net with aplomb from outside West Ham's penalty area. It was the spring some of the Liverpool lads needed in their feet, as they roamed around with their shackles now broken. It was Peter Crouch who confirmed the confidence roaming in the team, as outside the West Ham area again he side-footed the ball into the back of the net with a finesse and delicacy. It defied all assumptions of clumsiness so many attribute to a six foot seven lad.

West Ham were visibly shaken by it all, and Liverpool only had to pass the ball around. Blanco Gonzalez Kepa had a dream start to his English career by putting one back but reality soon checked in for West Ham as there was no way Liverpool would concede again and in the end Rafael Benitez even had time to put on Anfield's favourite son Robbie Fowler.

It is only three days to go now for the next fixture and it is Everton who are to call at Anfield. Rafael Benitez's record against them at Anfield is perfect, and his main worry for next Saturday should be who to drop rather than who to pick.

Exactly on the 18th January, 1997 Jamie Carragher donned the Liverpool shirt for the first time. Today, ten years laters Jamie Carragher is still donning the Liverpool shirt and probably still sleeping in it. He is living the dream and he truly appreciates it. Here is my small tribute for this legend, which was originally printed on the Maltese Liverpool Supporters Club magazine Anfield Island.


He does not shine. He does not glitter either. On some sides he might look even rough. The casual window shoppers don’t notice him much either. They have not got much time for him. The fake big headline seekers are not too bothered about him either. He’s far from catwalk material. In a time when it seems all that glitters is gold, he is a square peg in a round hole. Glittering he is not, artificial or plastic he is not either though. He is red through and through, consistency is his key, and no-one can rival his commitment to the red cause. He is a local, more Scouse than English, and he answers to the name of Jamie Carragher.

He has epitomized consistency and pride in the shirt. He has been consistent through the last couple of years, seven out of ten regularly off every match. Lately everyone expects eight out of ten every match the very least. Whilst in the past he would usually be patrolling one of either flanks, he has been promoted to the middle, to the very heart of Liverpool’s defense. His interceptions have been top notch, and this latest added responsibility has spurred him on to take more responsibility and lead the lads by his vocal chords. That’s of course complimented by his example.

He was given his debut back by Roy Evans. Surprisingly enough he even found the net on his debut. He cemented his place in the Liverpool team during the Houllier’s years when on the way he picked up five medals whereby he played in every final which yielded the medals. He had his hard times and sometimes his name on the score-sheet didn’t favour Liverpool at all. But as above, he is not made of plastic, and he can take more than a couple of knocks while still carrying on. Sometimes people questioned Houllier’s faith in Jamie. He always answered by picking him up for the next game.

Others were forecasting the end of Jamie as soon as on Rafael Benitez’s introductory press conference. Being used to having the likes of Ayala in his back four, Carragher will be looked down at. It couldn’t get farther from the truth or reality. He definitely confides in him and picking him rather than supplementary is obligatory and a very welcome routine. He likes to work with him, Carra seems very eager to learn from him and it seems to be a match in heaven along the holy Shankly gates. Senor Benitez has also been very loud in his praise and lately has even hailed him as England’s finest defender.

At a time when the real fans are getting kicked in their teeth, honesty and integrity being only antique Shakespearean words, Jamie Carragher is trudging alone in a noisy crowd. Rather than getting tugged along, I hope some tag along him.

Liverpool confirmed their superlative form in the league at Anfield, and this time against Chelsea, a team that has just won the Premiership twice in succession. Liverpool's performance yesterday had everything - panache, style, strength, and above all convincing that this side that Rafael Benitez is building has something special brewing in. Only, the indifferent start of the campaign is keeping this side from being seriously challenging for the title. There are still fourteen matches to be played but as the captain Steven Gerrard stated after the match the gap is still massive and apart from winning every match Liverpool have to hope that the ones above them slip up more than a couple of times.

Gaps apart though, it was a match that must have left every Liverpool fan drooling with excitement and pride, yours truly very much included. Within eighteen minutes Liverpool were already two up and pegging Chelsea into their shells. During the rest of the match, even though Liverpool did not add to their tally just proved that those eighteen minutes were no fluke as they practically bossed the match and the clean sheet rather than the three points themselves was never in danger. Pepe Reina was the usual self assured keeper, his sole presence must give his defenders so much peace of mind and he always made sure he is there to pick on the failed Chelsea attacks, and was never given the task to make a decent save.
Jamie Carragher on the other hand, seems to have taken Didier Drogba's goal in the corresponding fixture at Stamford Bridge when he inadvertently let him turn and shoot very personally, as he won his duel over him hands down, and marshalled the defence with precision, and as the saying goes never put a foot wrong. He didn't even give one single advise wrong as the Chelsea attacks were shackled beyond comprehension and as said before Pepe Reina never had a save to make. At one time, it had to be the Kop roof rather than the Spaniard that had to save Didier Drogba's shot from going to Goodison Park!

Special mention has also to go for both Petr Cech's and Arjen Robben's impeccable forecasts. The former wore head-gear that is normally seen worn by kick boxers, and it was very much needed as Chelsea took an aboslute battering. The only problem is though that such head-gear never protects you against bruised ego. The latter left the pitch after just twenty-one minutes, he must have known that all his effort and energy will be useless against such a rampant Liverpool side.

The only regret I am carrying this morning is that there are still ten days to go for the next Liverpool fixture.

After a bad week and bad press blown out of all proportions, Liverpool returned to winning ways away from home, scored three and got another clean sheet. And all this in the bread and butter that is now called the Premiership. While the first victory over Watford at Anfield was seen mostly as labourious, this time Liverpool cruised to victory, were home and dry by the first forty-five minutes and really put the limitations of Bothroyd's team to the sword.

In a rather unfamiliar 3-4-3 formation and on a bumpy pitch, Liverpool took thirty-four minutes to go ahead. While two of three Liverpool goals last Wednesday showed pure class and sublime quality, yesterday the goals owed more to basic approach, strikers instinct, persistance and unselfishness particularly by Finnan and Bellamy. Ultimately they also proved to be more effective.
Under the new formation, Finnan could be found more in Watford's than Liverpool's half as the back three of Carragher, Hyypia and Agger in front of Reina gave him the peace of mind of attacking the Watford's left back and it was his assist to Bellamy that opened the score. Having an acute angle from where to aim for goal, he could have been pardoned to go for glory but Finnan chose the safest method to benefit the team. 3-4-3 or 4-4-2 doesn't make much difference to the Limerick lad, he is always there delivering the goods in a consistent matter. He might not be tempted to leave to the States once he decides his playing days in the Premiership are over but his presence will be sorely missed at Anfield.

Bellamy and Crouch were in a direct duel for the man of the match award. Crouch put his name on the score-sheet twice and thus wins the award for his shher effectiveness. The award for altruisim though belongs to the mouthy and stubborn Welsh lad. Kids are often referred to as naughty but nice and if anything Bellamy is proving to be this big kid who can now hack it with the big boys. With the score already 2-0, he elected to pass to Crouch as the most effective way to get to a 3-0 scoreline, and later he put his captain Gerrard through on goal, which unfortunately the captain blasted over the bar.

At the other end of the pitch, Reina returned and duly another clean sheet returned. Like Finnan, he was at his consistent best, even though never severely tested. But his presence gave the defenders a peace of mind and proved last Wednesday was only a hiccup.

Benitez is now to focus on our bread and butter, with next Saturday being a fresh French baguette enough to whet our appetites. Still, the caviar is only in the offing and represented by no-one less but Barcelona.

The debut at the Emirates has left a sour taste. The taste was though sweetened by seven wins in ten matches. Saturday's taste was somewhat bitter-sweet with the FA Cup exit and the show of red strength by the Kop. Yesterday's successive defeat to Arsenal and the 6-3 scoreline leaves a severe ulcer in the mouth.

Rafa's promise to Dudek to let him defend the Liverpool goal in the Cup matches proved too costly once again, and maybe the promise to Dudek should have been offset by the unwritten pledge of fielding the strongest team possible to make us fans happy. The memories of Istanbul are too strong to be tainted by yesterday's non-performance but I feel that we have seen the very last of Dudek's playing career for the reds.

Whilst the fourth official signalled six extra minutes for the first half, memories of Istanbul flowed through me, but those particular six minutes in Istanbul are so special and etched through our memories because they only happened once. This time, they just served to let Arsenal's young kids to score twice, put the tie firmly beyond Liverpool's reach and let the historians search in the records for when was the last time such a reversal result was recorded in the first forty-five minutes at Anfield.

Bill Shankly used to say there are two teams in Liverpool, Liverpool and Liverpool reserves. He is proved right again, as rather than a whole squad Liverpool has got two different teams, the first eleven and the second eleven, such is the gulf between some of the first teamers and the others supposed to be knocking on the manager's door for a chance.

Fowler's elegant goal, Gerrard's sublime volley and Hyypia's header were only soft pain killers for the big ulcer.

Liverpool started their defence of the FA Cup by mostly pegging down their opponents Arsenal into their own half, however the waves of attacks were constructed more in hopefulness rather than assertiveness which led to the surrender of the oldest cup in the world in a sombre 3-1 reversal at home.

What Liverpool surrendered on the pitch though was resurrected in the Kop. The fans group Reclaim the Kop finally made their mark in the Kop and across the globe as they made themselves heard and seen. The first six minutes were dedicated to the ninety-six souls that never got back and whilst a mosaic of 'The Truth' was placed, the whole Kop and most of the other three stands at Anfield incessantly cried 'Justice for the 96!'
It brought the attention of most media hacks reporting at Anfield, and humiliated McKenzie's name. I am not sure how McKenzie was affected, as I am not even sure whether this human being has even got feelings but what is sure that both Wenger and Henry were moved by the show of passion and was confirmed in their post-match interviews.

The first big surprise of the evening was not the resurrection of the Kop. We all know that when Kopites gather and decide that a particular night has to be etched in the memories of the witnesses the passion will just arise to the fore. Rather than that, it was the inclusion of Dudek over Reina. It would be cruel to blame the aimable Pole for the reversal but the deep-down feeling I am carrying this morning is that he should have done better in one of the first two goals. Having said that, the once Houllier target Rosicky was afforded too much time and space to compose himself and test his shooting boots.

Kuyt's goal was the least the lad deserved for his marauding all over the pitch. Rather than scant consolation, the goal gave hope, though only to be undone in twelve minutes by their captain and let's face it one of the classiest players around. Carragher won his sprint with Henry and his will to economise on time as much as possible prevented him from booting the ball into the stands and gift Henry a rather untroubled trip to Dudek's goal.

The contest will be replayed as soon as next Tuesday, albeit under different circumstances, different cup and probably with different personnel. Benitez's Emirates ghosts have not been absolved, only prolonged. Tuesday can only soften the blows.

As U2 once told us, 'Nothing changes on New Year's Day'. The unbeaten and winning form at Anfield just continued gathering pace and once again the three points really materialised in the second half after a rather dour first half with Bolton seemingly sheperding the game into a scoreless draw, which did little or nothing to lift most people's hangovers.

Bolton are really punching above their weight, and the table today makes better reading as it was an eye sore and unfathomable to see such a common side above the noble name of Liverpool.

Whilst having not much to shout about, the first half helped Mr Consistency aka Steve Finnan to shine and warm up Jaaskelainen's palms. Their wings seemed more interested to keep our right back at bay rather than vice-versa.

The second half was a different story. The possession dominance started to divide a genuine side from the leechers and finally an acrobatic volley by Crouch opened the score and lifted the hangovers while also giving the belief and impetus to a dominant Liverpool side. Less than two minutes later, the captain finished off Kuyt's cross and the game.

It was only fitting for Kuyt to end on the score-sheet. He was everywhere and considering this being during the hectic period of the season it is even more appreciated. The goal gave the busy lad another credit on his goal scoring account and the polish Liverpool's performance deserved.

The seeds have now been well sown for the double confrontation against Arsenal which gives the chance for Liverpool to advance another stage in both cup competitions whilst also burying the sour memories that Liverpool's debut in the Emirates bring.