Liverpool got through the formality of putting their name alongside fifteen other names come December in a bowl. Some of the other fifteen names are yet to be confirmed, even though the bowl is more and more looking like a fish bowl, an exclusive small bowl that have the same fish swimming around year after year. Maybe though, it is also a testament to Rafael Benítez that the membership in such bowl is being taken for granted and considered as a formality. The final whistle and the confirmation of qualifying into the last sixteen were greeted with a polite applause and a couple of nods. The match itself didn’t provide that much to get exuberant and over-excited, but qualification with a game in hand, is no mean feat in my books. In his five years, Benítez achieved qualification from the group stages every year, and this after inheriting a side that its biggest achievement was actually qualifying into the group stages.

Talking about inheritance though, Benítez did inherit someone special, and yesterday night he was there delivering, after an absence of a match in which Liverpool disappointed. Benítez did inherit Steven Gerrard, after having a thorough nurturing from Gérard Houllier, but Benítez did not sit on his laurels and kept his estate in the bank for a rainy day. Benítez has invested in his main asset to mature and blossom, getting his dividends back in a number of goals that far exceed his tally under the previous manager. Even though sometimes looking to have their personalities clashing, they both compromise for the good and fortunes of Liverpool F.C. beyond their call of duty. Forget about perfect midfield partnerships and perfect striking duos, what we really have and should appreciate more is a great partnership of manager and captain. The manager calls the changes and the tactics, the captain implements them.

Xabi Alonso found himself strangely on the bye-line. There was no room for him to produce any of his trademark forward passes but instead he produced an equally sublime cross. With a whole mass in the middle of the penalty, Gerrard’s intelligence dictated him to distance himself from it all. With space created for himself he ghosted in at the very right moment and met the ball with his head to simply direct into the net for the eight time this season, a tally most strikers would be proud of.

Liverpool never really built on that advantage, and had their own shaky moments as Marseille pressed forward from time to time. The backline stood tall though to keep another clean sheet and when the back four got passed, Pepe Reina was there to thwart any danger.

Liverpool got what and where they wanted with the minimum of fuss, like a train arriving into its destination as expected. Maybe it is still apt to remember that such unceremonious journey had a lot to do with the return of an excellent driver who made the small things matter and made the most of an opportunity that he presented himself for. His drive and presence keep the train on the right track, and equally important arriving in time.

As Danny Murphy shook hands with the stand-in captain Jamie Carragher before the match, it was hard not to reminisce how much the opposing captain of the day was seen and proved as a banker at Old Trafford in his Liverpool playing days. Fulham at home is as equally a banker, but at the end of the ninety minutes this banker proved solid and reliable as much as the failed mortgage banks in the United States. Comparatively enough to the situation, Newcastle bailed out the day and the joint leading position by replicating Fulham’s feat and keeping Chelsea at bay.

It was more a case of missing what you haven’t got rather than appreciating and making the most of what was on offer. With the captain Steven Gerrard on the sidelines due to an injury, Rafa had to shuffle his midfield, and I guess it was one shuffle too many as one of the men of the moment, Xabi Alonso ended up on the bench, with Lucas Leiva taking his place. It was another chance for the Brazilian to shine, but rather than standing out, he fitted well with the drab and gloomy weather that a November afternoon like yesterday can offer. The defence did alright, keeping a clean sheet, even though admittedly Pepe Reina had to be as alert as ever, and actually pulled out a couple of great saves to save the day. The midfield found it hard to get going and never actually did. Bursts into the penalty areas were few and far in between. Albert Riera was busying himself, making himself available and carrying the ball forward but ultimately on the day he was more of a hod-carrier than a builder. On the other side of the flank, Dirk Kuyt was as busy as usual, and got even pretty close as soon as the fifth minute, but that was the closest he ever got all game.

Alongside Robbie Keane, Fernando Torres looked lively and had the urgency that some of his team-mates looked to have missing, a signature of his on the score-sheet looked promising but never materialised. Xabi Alonso did make an appearance later on the match, but while doing all the right things his cameo appearance failed to pull the strings one more time and give Liverpool what they wanted and needed, as patience was being transformed to nail biting, not much by the work on the pitch as much as that of the clock. The last throw of the dice by Rafa was the throwing of the youthful Nabil El Zhar. The latter had a couple of bursts into their defence that his energy seems to afford him to but ultimately his nine minutes on the pitch could not forget us the previous eighty-one.

Liverpool have failed a banker, and as Murphy trotted out the pitch with his head held respectably high, the consolation of the day was the respectable position that Liverpool kept, the same respect an ex-Liverpool player who treats the red shirt with dignity will ever get on a return to Anfield.

Back to normality it is. And it doesn’t have the usual association with the average and mean. After last Wednesday’s upset, Liverpool got back into winning ways, acquiring the customary three points and the top of the table spot albeit the latter for just a few hours. Thirteen matches so far, and this is the tenth win. A win is now the normality. Natural and habitual as much as the Torres bounce in the away end. And it has the same ring to it as much as the bounce. In our ears at least.

Liverpool started on top gear immediately. This Bolton side is miles away from the one managed by Sam Allardyce. It is still ugly but seems to have only inherited Allardyce’s chewing habit rather than the bite it was once apprehended for. Liverpool just sprayed the ball around with intelligence and aplomb, as you’d expect from a side that has a certain Xabi Alonso in its midfield. Sometimes I wonder how much the whole Barry saga in summer was of a huge let-off, a blessing in disguise, a disregard of what we’ve had in our ranks or all three of them together. Albert Riera on the left made himself available, received the ball routinely and perforated their back-four regularly. On the other flank, Dirk Kuyt did just the same, only though with the intensity and assiduousness of the rest of his team-mates. I’d hate to be one of his boot studs as am sure I wouldn’t last more than one game. He was just everywhere, and at the time his hard work is not impeding him from finding the back of the net. He was unlucky at first, when a venomous shot of his hit the crossbar, but then justice was made as he finished off a something like twenty pass move by hitting the back of the net. After the whole side knocked the ball around, Riera seemed to decide to get all direct, but his cross was blocked. Fabio Aurelio was there to pick the pieces and curled in a cross into the penalty area and Kuyt produced a header that gave Jaaskelainen as much chance as you’ve got of spotting a ghost on the foggiest of days. One nil, and it was now time to just wrap the match up.

The same Kuyt seemed to have continued the flow as he presented Robbie Keane with the easiest of chances but it seems the grass got into the way and the ball and chance went away begging. Gary Megson was already probably begging the question of how to get his lads into it during the half-time. Shortly afterwards, he probably got it with the disallowed Taylor goal. Bolton’s first corner sailed dangerously into the Liverpool area and with Pepe Reina impeded Taylor had an open goal to head to. Referee Rob Styles punished the infringement and the one nil score-line stood still. It gave enough ammunition though to Megson to rally his lads and it showed as Bolton came out pressing Liverpool, and the normality of it all, made us doubt if we will be paying heavily for the missed chances beforehand. As the clock winded down, Bolton lowered down their tone and Liverpool superseded the resonance. It was Gerrard’s turn this time not to connect properly with a gaping goal, but shortly afterwards he atoned. Having this time Torres crossing in for him he just reminded us about his telepathic rhythm with the bouncing one.

It is another normality that we can get used to that has been so far mostly sacrificed due to Torres’s hamstring. It is a normality that knows no routine though.

Yesterday I just felt different. Before the match, I promised myself to stay at home, watch the reds on my own for a change. A bit like promising your bird to go out together, just you and her without joining up with your other mates. On an ordinary night though, rather than on the awaited Saturday night. I have treated League Cup matches like that in the past, and it makes a bit for a change. Facing Tottenham in their own White Hart Lane at this time, is probably the most impractical of times, but I thought, believed or hoped that such adversity in the situation will get the best out of the side that Benitez will opt for this secondary competition. It might be hypocritical for me to call the League Cup secondary, as I remember being over the moon, seeing the reds beating Birmingham to win the same cup seven years ago. Equally made up when Gerard Houllier did it for the second time in 2004, this time over the Mancs. And equally gutted when in Benitez’s first cup final, Chelsea overturned Riise’s scorching opener and Nunez’s goal was too late to salvage the game. Still, if the league is our bread and butter, this is surely our porridge. Still contrary to when Liverpool won it four successive times, at a time when the bread and butter was being put on the table with the same consistency of a family who owned a bakery, our guts nowadays seems not prepared to take more than one plate each dinner.

Some might argue that yesterday exposed the real lack of depth in the squad. One valid point there, but what really irked me yesterday, was players that Liverpool have paid relatively big money for them looking rather inept. Andrei Dossena looked as much of an Italian defender as much as a Camorrista is likely to be found appreciative of justice and the common good. Lucas Leiva, who admittedly has looked the part more than once when asked to deputize in the Liverpool midfielder, looked as Brazilian as an Argentinean dancing out of tune the Samba. Sami Hyypia who’s been there for ten years, doing it all before and with nothing to prove was the most respectable performer and put them to shame. The difference was palpable. These are lads who are yet to win anything, and still on a night like yesterday were like rabbits in the headlights when they should have been grabbing all the limelight of the same headlights.

I just can’t wait for Saturday. Back to the league. Back to normality.

Whilst Liverpool got out of jail in their last outing against Atletico Madrid last Tuesday, yesterday the reds were out the door before the jury had even time to start. Liverpool’s claim for three points was effectively done and dusted in the first forty-five minutes. And the claim was signed by no-one less than Robbie Keane, for the first time in the league in a red shirt.

The recipient of a delightful through pass by his captain, Keane lost his marker and found himself facing Scott Carson. With no time to think, he let his instincts rule and just chipped the ball into an empty net with the ease and mechanism of a well oiled spring. It’s just what he needed and he just let it happen for him. Till then Liverpool were never in any real danger, but they were only inconspicuously showing their real mettle. They were letting West Bromwich Albion passing the ball around and rather than really pressing them into their own penalty area they were just knocking on their door occasionally. They were probably camouflaging a trap-door on their play. Keane doubled his league tally and the game’s score when from a swift counter attack he met Fabio Aurelio’s diagonal pass, and with the confidence of hitting the net a mere nine minutes before he rounded the advancing keeper and just deposited the ball into the net. In his own words, his monkey was off his back and he was now just coolly climbing trees and picking fruit.

The second forty-five minutes were pretty much a non-event. Liverpool just controlled and the clean sheet was never even in question of getting blotted. Ryan Babbel came in for Albert Riera for his usual run around along the line. Riera had a rather strange game, and it seems there is rather a pattern in all this. While excelling against the bigger sides, working really hard while deftly goes past his full-back and generally makes things happens, he seems to be finding it harder and having his work cut when facing such inferior sides who are there for the taking. The scorer then made way to Anfield’s current favourite son Fernando Torres, allowing the former a standing ovation and the latter to warm down and grind down the slight rust he could have put on in these past weeks spent on the sidelines. The rested Xabi Alonso finally went in for the captain with ten minutes to go.

The injury time allowed by the referee turned out to be a little bit more than a formality as Alvaro Arbeloa more than made up for his unjust booking earlier on. Overlapping on the right flank, Dirk Kuyt’s pass found him with time and space to just curl the ball into the top corner, allowing his team-mates to congratulate him rather than the other way round.

Liverpool acquired the three points and an injection of confidence in their second striker.

He was a bit like the taxman, taxing Liverpool for many a fifty-fifty tackle and turning a blind eye when balls were being patted in the penalty area. Liverpool were feeling rather aggrieved and the taxman was getting some serious stick. As much as an economy can’t do without taxes, football can’t do without referees. At the very end though, as if an election is looming round the corner he opted for a freebie to Liverpool and looked like getting on a podium to declare rather than a tax-break, a penalty for Liverpool after Steven Gerrard looked to collide with one of their defenders in the penalty area. And the stage was all set for the captain to salvage a draw as he bombed the ball with accuracy, venom and power. He is looking well confident on the penalty spots, he well is. While Liverpool’s penalty shoot-out success has always been second to none, there were times when the award of a penalty during the match was a means to test your heart-rate further. But now Gerrard seems to have acquired another side to his game, and is making Danny Murphy looking rather ordinary in executing penalties, especially at critical times like yesterday.

As expected, Liverpool looked to have started the better side, the highlight of the early minutes of the match being a delightful and accurate pass from Xabi Alonso who from just outside his penalty area he pinpointed Robbie Keane at the other end of the pitch. Keane did well to chest the ball and take on hi marker but rather than the inside he hit the outside of the net. If anything though, it confirmed the rich vein of form the Basque is going through, as he changed defence into attack in a split second and showed his superlative vision of the game. Alonso is one intelligent student of the game, and apart from that he has the feet to support it. He just compromises thought and action with an air of grace and naturality.

The early promise started to fizzle out though and Atletico Madrid took the lead, seven minutes from time of the first forty-five minutes. The reaction was rather muffled but the start of the second half showed an improvement. Gerrard looked to try to inspire the rest of the lads but was getting frustrated and sometimes his touches were rather letting him down and Atletico looked threatening every now and then, while organizing them well to defend their lead.

Keane got substituted by David N’Gog. It might have looked rather bizarre but remembering that in last year’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park with the score level Gerrard was subbed on by Lucas Leiva, it doesn’t look as strange. Deep down though, Rafa might be really losing some of his faith that made him splash out nineteen million Sterling for the same player a few months ago. Keane looked a safe bet to spend money on, a proven goal scoring record and an old head of the surroundings but at the moment it looks like the bookmaker has been smarter than the odds suggested.

Whilst it could be argued they got out of jail, Liverpool arrested a what could be a decline of their morale. With W.B.A. at home next Saturday, it is now time to take no prisoners and just cruise towards a comfortable three points.

I have conducted the following interview with James McKenna, one of the volunteer members of the Spirit of Shankly group. The following transcript has been published originally on the publication Anfield Island which is Malta's Liverpool Supporters Club magazine.



Liverpool F.C. has been the first club to win eighteen English titles. The first British club to retain the European Cup. Subsequently, the first British club to keep the European Cup for good. Now it is the first club to have its own union. Hardly comparing like with like, or a cause for big celebration but a desperate situation calls for desperate measures. It is a known fact that Liverpool has some of the most caring and passionate fans and this union is another testament of that. Originally formed as ‘Sons of Shankly’, it is now officially known as ‘Spirit of Shankly’.

The first meeting was held in The Sandon pub, the pub which was originally owned by no-one less than Sir John Houlding, the founder of Liverpool F.C. and the same person that kicked Everton F.C. out of Anfield. Some 350 Liverpool fans attended for the first meeting, with the main constant aim among others set ‘to represent the best interests of supporters of Liverpool F.C.’ Since then, the Union as it is most commonly known in Liverpool has been known to organize travel for away matches, both in England and Europe, organized a march in protest at the present owners as well as held two very important meetings, with George Gillett and the manager Rafael Benìtez.

I have conducted the following interview with James McKenna, one of the volunteer acting committee member.


First things first, officially is it 'Sons of Shankly' or 'Spirit of Shankly'? What made you change the name?

The official name is Spirit Of Shankly, Liverpool Supporters' Union. Most people refer to us simply as Spirit Of Shankly, SOS, or the Union.

We were intially called Sons Of Shankly. The name was decided upon at the first meeting in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. It was off the cuff and suited us perfectly. However there are just as many passionate female Liverpool fans as well male. So we decided to broaden the name to cover all those involved. Also the name Spirit Of Shankly is more apt. We are trying to keep the same spirit going that Bill Shankly brought to this club. Thats why we are named after the great man.

I remember we all basically embraced the idea of having Gillett and Hicks as the 'new custodians', and they were greeted warmly at games, some even stopping to have pictures with all that. In other words they had the red carpet treatment. When did you first see the first cracks?

Plenty of Liverpool fans did welcome Hicks and Gillett with open arms, and with hindsight, we were naive. However we had seen our club fall behind Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, and we wanted to remain competitive. We wanted to be back up there challenging for League titles, and winning trophies. The previous owner, David Moores, had admitted he couldn't compete financially. Tom Hicks and George Gillett won the battle ahead of DIC to own the club, and fans were taken in by their charm offensive and promises - which they have now broken.

The cracks or signs, had been there for us to see, since the 2007 European Cup Final. They day after losing, the manager came out and criticised the way transfers were dealt with, about the support he was getting. It was a sign that all was not well behind the scenes, but fans weren't quite sure what was going on. If we fast forward to the autumn of 2007, the cracks were beginning to widen. There was the infamous Benitez press conference in which he kept repeating the same answer to every question, that he would be concentrating on coaching and supporting his players. The next day at Newcastle he wore a tracksuit rather than his usual suit. This was a public display by the manager that things were not going well behind the scenes. Fans were alarmed and began to ask questions. Fan group Reclaim The Kop (RTK) then organised a march in support of the manager prior to the European Cup game against Porto. This was after receiving information from reliable sources that the manager was about to be sacked by Tom Hicks and George Gillett. Fans stood and marched for the manager and helped to keep him in the job.

From then on, fans were growing increasingly sceptical about the American owners. We found out they had spoken to Jurgen Klinsmann behind the managers back, the stadium was not forthcoming , Gillett had famously said at the takeover that a spade would be in the ground in 60 days, and then we received the final kick in the teeth - The debt Tom Hicks and George Gillett used to purchase the club was to be put on Liverpool Football Club. This was the final nail in the coffin - Fans had to stand up and fight back. A meeting was arranged for fans to attend in The Sandon on 31st January 2008. The Liverpool Supporters' Union was formed. And then fast forward 7 and bit months, and here we are today.


According to your website, the immediate aim of the S.O.S. is getting rid the club of the aforementioned. Don't you feel you are starting with a 'too big' aim?

Tom Hicks and George Gillett are the main reason that the Liverpool Supporters' Union, Spirit Of Shankly, were formed. They were the tipping point that made fans think and say "I've had enough. It's time to stand up for myself, other fans, and fight back, to have a say". It is a big task - but one that we must achieve if we want Liverpool Football Club to move forward. Hicks and Gillett have done too damage to this football club in their period in charge to allow them to stay. The stadium fiasco of will it or won't it happen (I don't think anyone knows the definite answer but it is looking increasingly unlikely under the American ownership, especially since the banks said no to a loan for building it). There has been the shocking treatment of the manager. Speaking to Jurgen Klinsmann behind his back, and vetoing the signing of Gareth Barry because of the price tag - This is not a decision for them. They should back the managers judgement. I don't think Liverpool fans would have a bad word to say about Benitez if he had walked out over it all, but he hasn't because of his and his family's love for this city, the club, and the fans. Finally there was the debt being put on the club, despite saying they would never do this.
It might be a long, uphill struggle to rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. But it is one that we will achieve.


How do you see yourselves achieving that?

There are a number of methods being used for this, which all relate to creating negative publicity for the owners, and showing them, the watching world and more importantly the banks the finance them, that we are unhappy (to put it mildly) and we want them out of the football club.
The primary plan of action was to protest against the owners. These have took a variety of forms. More detail can be found on the site at http://www.spiritofshankly.com/protests.html.
The actions we have taken have included protest marches, with our largest one to date having taken place prior to the Manchester United game on Saturday 13th September, when nearly 4,000 fans marched up to Anfield chanting "Yanks Out" and "get out of our club". There have also been protests during the game, at half time, and at full time, as well as out the Director Entrance. We have mocked the American owners, with a dig, with SOS finally putting a spade in the ground in Stanley Park, 440 days after Gillett first promised it, and we have "repossesed" the ground, highlighting the problems the massive debt the Americans have put on the cluband the potential problems it can cause.
More recently, we have looked at targetting those who finance Hicks and Gillett, the banks. Royal Bank of Scotland, which is the main financer, are to be targetted over a period of time, to encourage them not to allow Hicks and Gillett an extension to the present refinancing deal.


Have you met any particular signs of encouragement?

In terms of encouragement for what we are doing, alot of Liverpool fans want the American owners out and support the action taken to try and rid the club of Hicks and Gillett. Encouragingly, in terms of can we achieve our aim, the world's media has taken an active interest in what we are tring to do. Meetings were also requested by representatives of Dubai, led my Amanda Staveley, Chief Executive of LFC Rick Parry, and more recently George Gillett. We have had meetings with all these and have made our stance, on what we aim to achieve, very clear to them. We must be doing something right if they want to meet with us. We have also spoke with accountants and finance experts from Wall St who tell us that the Global Economic Climate is affecting them, so all we have to do is increase the pressure.


How much you believe you are on the right track to achieve your first aim?

I believe we are on track to achieving our first aim. It was seen more recently, with the failure to start work on the new stadium, that the present economic climate is affectting the Americans. When the current debt on the football club comes up for re-financing in January 2009, the negative publicity surrounding the Americans should surely lead the banks to refuse. The American owners will have no alternative but to sell. Hopefully it can be resolved before then. If we keep up the pressure on the Americans, and the pressure on the banks who are financially supporting them, then they will have no alternative but to listen. Which is why I encourage more people to join Spirit Of Shankly. Once the Americans are removed, we can concentrate on making things better for all fans. What we are trying to achieve can be found here http://www.spiritofshankly.com/index.html. If anyone wishes to join they can do so online or by post http://www.spiritofshankly.com/join.html.

If we all stand together, we can win. We can finally have our views and our opinions listened to, about the problems and concerns that us fans have. And then, Liverpool Football Club will truly be OUR club. All of ours!

It rained and rained. Continuously, without pause and prolifically. The final whistle though left us feeling burnt rather than soaked. It was one of those unfathomable feelings that you can’t explain. But that wasn’t the only anomaly of the day.

The tie presented the top side travelling to the bottom placed side and as we said a couple of days earlier the table never lies. It can be a bit detached from reality though. As much as a result is the all black on white verdict of the match, the deliberation can be far from unanimous. These were two sides that were riding high on confidence, Liverpool fresh from their Stamford Bridge exploits while Tottenham still riding high from their first victory and a smash and grab draw against their better off neighbours Arsenal. Coupled with that, they have acquired a new manager that they are keen to impress. It shows you all want to know, whether this particular set of players play for the shirt and the fans in the stands or merely their boss in the dugout.

A mere three minutes after kick-off Liverpool started in the most perfect way imaginable. Winning a throw-in while attacking the Spurs end Alvaro Arbeloa played Robbie Keane in who in return played Dirk Kuyt in expecting him to return the favour. But from a rather angled position the Dutchman sacrificed his altruism side in him and just let fly to give Liverpool the lead, confirming his rich form at the moment and making us forget that a certain Fernando Torres is not even on the bench. It was the springboard set for Liverpool to dictate matters and control the match and result. And in the ensuing half, Liverpool did just that, controlling the whole area with authority and occasionally knocking on their door to remind them of who they are.

And in the start of the second half, Liverpool even upped their tempo and left the Spurs at sixes and sevens. They took full advantage of the pouring rain and the slick pitch as they passed from one to another with aplomb and got to the opposition’s rearguard with remarkable creativity. The woodwork though was a much harder nut to crack than the Spurs back four and keeper, and it repelled back Steven Gerrard twice. Firstly he went with power and then a teasing lob still didn’t do the trick.

On the other side of the pitch, a teasing corner just did the trick as an unfortunate header by the solid Jamie Carragher ended up beyond Reina. Sometimes a rock repels wave after wave but circumstances leave it weak on its knees after a bout of sand thrown in its direction. With the last of the quarter of the match remaining, the reds rather found themselves in a dilemma as to whether fight back to get what is rightfully theirs or accept the cruel situation. With the fourth official signaling four minutes of added time, and Reina diving brilliantly to push Bentley’s drive adroit as much as possible there was still time for another twist as a lurking Bent played Pavlyuchenko in to tap home.

The lad from the KGB country let us taste a bit of our own medicine. It is a reminder of how long a season can be and how simple episodes can turn the course of a season. Liverpool have overturned the tide during the ninety minutes four times this season so far. It is now time not to overturn but to merely get back in track.