Sporty Bitz

3 matches in, and I'm convinced

2007-08-28T12:49:00.000+08:00

It has been an eventful start to the season to say the least. We followed up the win at Villa Park with an important win at Toulouse in searing heat, drew with much STYLES with Chelsea and produced a workmanlike performance over Keano's Black Cats.

Our football is not perfect yet. I am sure as the season goes on, the performance and quality will improve as the team play more together. The one most important aspect we have improved on is our desire. The whole team seems to be fighting for every ball, fighting for everyone. The new signings have been immense. They may have not shown us their full array of skills yet but they have shown an abundance of enthusiam to fight for the Red cause. It's refreshing to see Torres, Voronin and Babel tracking back whenever the opposition gets the ball. As we used to say back in the 80's, our best defender was Ian Rush. Defending starts from the top and seeing stars like Torres willing to harass and track back whenever needed, it shows the immense character in the Liverpool squad this season.

Man Utd are stuttering, Chelsea may be leading the pack now but I am sure they will be looking over to see where we are and Arsenal will probably lose some ground if they play too beautiful football and yet struggle to score. I have always been a believer. But this time around, we have added a lot more steel into our resolve. It's refreshing to win matches when you are not at your best. That's what champions do. We have the look of it this season. Now, let's push on and makes things happen this season.

You'll Never Walk Alone! Keep the faith you Redmen! :0

Captain Fantastic

2007-08-13T18:09:00.001+08:00

It was the moment that I have been waiting for. The start of the new EPL season. Every year I will start a season filled with optimism that we will eventually lift the trophy we last won in 1990 when I was barely 7 years old. Too many years have passed with taunts by MU and recently Chelsea. It is great to start afresh once more with real ammunition this time around.

The past 3 months has been hard for me. Losing someone I love was hard to bear but I guess both of us knew it was the best thing that we could do. I regret a lot of things but I also look forward to many other things to come. This EPL season in a way was more important to me. Maybe it makes me alive again, it makes me look forward to something during the weekends.

The match with Villa was not any showpiece. It was scrappy to say the least. They were adament on being tight in their defence with the Carew being their target man with the long balls and set pieces. It was a tough match at hand but we managed to get the breakthrough with an own goal thanks to good work by both Torres and Kuyt.

As I thought we were strolling to a clean sheet and the first win of the season, Carra was unlucky to have handled the ball. He was immensed throughout the match. I would say nobody would dare to blame Carra if we went on to draw the match but I can't help but feel a little deja vu. Away matches, dropped points, out of the title race early on. I really couldn't bear another season to come and go with only one match gone.

Then came Stevie G with the most audacious freekick I have seen in a long time. Curled it round a wall which consists of John Carew and made the ball dipped at the end to hit the back of the net. It was sheer joy. It was sheer ecstacy. It made my day. It made me smile. It made me cry. My life is rejuvaneted because of that. It may sound stupid but I needed that after losing my companion, losing my confidant.

Thank you Stevie G. Thank you! I was waiting for the EPL to start so bad and it started of in a good note. Bring on Chelsea next weekend. We shall whip their sorry @sses and show to the world we are true contenders this season.

You'll Never Walk Alone!

I'm back! The EPL is back!

2007-08-09T00:14:00.000+08:00

After a few months of hiatus from writing about my beloved Liverpool, I am back. I'm not sure whether my return to sanity has anything to do with the start of the new EPL season but I guess I am feeling much better after such a emotional few months.

Liverpool are back in business. We have bought well and bought quality. Welcome to Anfield, Torres, Babel, Benayoun and Voronin. You'll Never Walk Alone. I am not a fan of any particular player but whoever comes in, will be supported as a true Red!

We will be ready for MU, Chelsea and Arsenal. We will be there challenging for the title. I can't wait for Villa this Saturday. Bring it on!

Let's Keep Our Chins Up

2007-05-24T12:07:00.000+08:00

Losing is never easy to take but this time around, for the first 44 minutes or so, we controlled the match and failed to score. Milan played for a freekick outside the box and it got a Super Pippo deflection to beat Reina. Football is always a funny thing. Maybe the Gods wanted to even up the contest between the 2nd and 3rd most successful team in European football. When Kuyt scored the consolation with around 3-4 minutes to go, you start to become optimistic but I guess we wouldn't be so lucky in every Cup final that we play.

Anyway, kudos to the boys. They played their hearts out and went down with a fight. I will always be proud of being a Red and a loss will not dampen my love for them. Next season promises much more with a nice transfer kitty in sight, these 2-3 months could prove interesting for us. We'll come back better and stronger. Adversity makes better teams.

You'll Never Walk Alone! Let's look ahead to 2007/2008 with optimisim and conviction.

Tonight's the night!

2007-05-23T19:17:00.000+08:00

I have not been blogging for a long time bcoz I was undergoing a personal crisis myself. The Champions League Final did not seem to cross my mind as much as I thought it would be. Anyway, I am Liverpool through and through. Liverpool has been my passion for 17 years. They have given me so much joy and excitement throughout the years. I hope tonight will be another one of those nights. Enjoy my fellow Liverpool fans. It is worth the long wait to see us back in Europe's elite. I am sure I will enjoy it tonight. You'll Never Walk Alone!!

Athens, Here We Come!

2007-05-04T08:20:00.000+08:00

We are in the final of the Champions League once more after using two exhibition matches to warm up for that big clash with Chelsea (according to Mourinho). Looks like Chelsea are also fighting for one trophy like us if you do not take into account the Mickey Mouse Cup which is the Carling Cup. I am sure at the start of the season Abramovich would have preferred the Champions League over the Carling Cup and FA Cup double. He may even forgive Mourinho if he wins the Champions League and let slip the Premier League title. But, it seems to me his job is under scrutiny. Perhaps, having Benitez's record isn't that bad after all. Did Abramovich praised Mourinho right out in public like Hicks and Gillett did?

Liverpool are a great club. I have never seen a club where the supporters cheer as much when the chips are down. I would love to have a chance to sit in the Kop one day. I just hope my work and salary warrants me to do so before they build the new stadium. Anyone willing to sponsor me there?

3 weeks from now, we will be celebrating this year's Champions League Winner. Let's pray hard that it is Liverpool that is celebrating. Perhaps, Kewell can make his belated appearance this season and produce a scincillating performance to win us the Cup.

Can hardly wait for the 23rd of May 2007. Cheers to the Kop!!!

We are going to Athens and I'm Disappointed!

2007-05-03T08:17:00.000+08:00

Yeah, we managed to make Mourinho looked like a joker with his post match comments saying Chelsea deserved to win and nobody will remember how Chelsea played in the semifinals and lost. I admire him to a certain extent. He has the bollocks to talk about rubbish when shit is thrown right on his face. Perhaps, his stupidity in stirring up our team and the fans was the biggest mistake he ever made. What does he mean by there was 'no atmosphere'? We even sang louder in Stamford Bridge. He must be a real clown! :)

Our team was immense. It was not for the purist but it was definitely for the die-hard Liverpool fans. We showed guts, determination, character and like Rafa always say ' game intelligence'. We fought for each other! Never pointing any fingers for blame. I am so damn delighted Agger scored the equalizing goal. It made all the bombardments against him last week sound stupid. He is class and he is going to improve given his very tender age as a centreback. It is absolutely brilliant we are in another European Cup final. Jose can only eny Rafa by now. Let's see who gets sacked at the end of the season. I am darn sure it's not going to be Benitez.

Kudos to the whole team! Go get a few days break and train hard for the final! We will be behind all of you! You did us all proud yesterday. It makes me even prouder as a Liverpool fan who stuck through the tough times since 1990.

Before I end this post, I would say I am kinda disappointed that MU got kicked out early this morning. I would have loved to beat them in the final and send them licking their wounds back in Manchester. It's just too bad they wont be in Athens. Perhaps they can come and support us in the stands since the likelihood of them returning to a Champions League Final is kinda remote. 1 European Cup Final in 19 or 20 seasons under Fergie? That must have been such a blemish in Fergie's record. Benitez is 2 finals in 3 seasons. Beat that, you SCUM!

We are going to Athens! We are going to Athens!!! Forget Wembley, Athens over Wembley anytime!

We Must Keep The Faith

2007-04-26T08:09:00.000+08:00

Ok, I admit we were terrible in the first half but we came back stronger in the 2nd half and showed them we meant business. Thank God they managed to score only one in the first half. If we do get through to Athens, we will need to thank Reina for at least 2 world class saves.

I do not understand what Mourinho is moaning about the penalty? Nobody realized any incident until I read the reports online saying that they were not given a penalty that they should. He is talking cock and bull stories all the time. Liverpool have class, right from the manager to the players and to the fans. Did you know that our fans actually outsung the Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge? That is utterly embarassing. We have only about 1/8 of the capacity there and 'You'll Never Walk Alone' was rendering so loudly. I can't imagine how it would be like next Tuesday at Anfield. I am buzzing. Very well, we may not make it to Athens but being a Liverpool fan means much more than that. We have class, we support our team through thick and thin. I have been a Red since 1990. So, I have beem through a lot of terrible years being chastisized by MU fans. But, I stuck through it!

No matter what happens next week, I will be Red through and through but then again, we have an excellent chance of advancing. 2 goals at home may not be that straightforward but we can do it. Let Anfield roar and make them shiver in their pants.

We are Liverpool, If you can't hear us, We'll shout a little louder!

Come on Rafa, Come on Stevie, Come on Carra, Come on, lads!

Let's make May 1st 2007 another legendary Anfield European night!

If Liverpool have 100 million pounds

2007-04-25T12:52:00.000+08:00

I managed to catch the first leg of the MU-Milan match early this morning. Although I hated the result, I am sure Milan are in for a shout in the second leg in the San Siro. Back to the topic, I was thinking this morning about what my colleague (fellow Liverpool fan) was saying. If we have 100 million pounds, let's buy Kaka and Eto'o for 50 quid each. That would be great. Kaka was spectacular yesterday. Eto'o is a proven goal scorer. We will win every single damn trophy if we get these 2 gems. Imagine next year's line up which could be like this

Reina

Finnan Carragher Agger Riise

Gerrard Alonso Mascherano Kewell

Kaka

Eto'o

Our starting lineup would probably be the best in the world. Our bench will be no pushover as well. We'll probably put some of this season's starters in the bench.

1. Carson (Back from Charlton)
2. Arbeloa
3. Aurelio
4. Sissoko
5. Hyypia (One more year)
6. Hobbs (Reserve team captain)
7. Gonzalez
8. Pennant
9. Zenden (May stay another year)
10. Bellamy
11. Kuyt
12. Crouch

And I would hope Fowler will stay on as our Striker's Coach! That would be perfect.

We are two signings away from a legendary team. Perhaps, we are 100 million pounds away from being a legendary team. I can onlu keep my fingers crossed.

Let's shock arrogant Chelsea today! We can do it! You'll Never Walk Alone

Benitez-Mourinho XIV

2007-04-23T12:33:00.000+08:00

Let me recall our meetings with Chelsea since Benitez and Mourinho took over the two clubs in 2004. All in all, we have met them a remarkable 13 times since the 2004/2005 season.

2004/2005

Premier League (A) - Lost (0-1)
Premier League (H) - Lost (0-1)
Carling Cup Final (N) - Lost (2-3)
Champions Lge Semi (A) - Drew (0-0)
Champions Lge Semi (H) - Won (1-0)

2005/2006

Champions Lge Group (H) - Drew (0-0)
Premier Lge (H) - Lost (1-4)
Champions Lge Group (A) - Drew (0-0)
Premier League (A) - Lost (0-2)
FA Cup Semi (N) - Won (2-1)

2006/2007

Community Shield (N) - Won (2-1)
Premier League (A) - Lost (0-1)
Premier League (H) - Won (2-0)

From the results above, it is obvious that our win-loss record against them has not been good although we have won 2 of the 3 meetings with them this season. Wednesday's semifinal in Stamford Bridge will be a really huge match. I am not too sure about the entertainment factor but it will be tensed from the get go.

Looking at the forums in the Liverpool Official Website, the fans are no longer questioning Gerrard's position on the field. My take on this issue is simple. As long as Stevie G plays, I won't complain where he plays. He could be drilling a 30 yard shot which could lead to our winning goal, crossing from the right for Kuyt to head home the winner or even cutting in from the left to shoot pass Cech. It does not matter. We are a better team with Gerrard and it is immaterial where he plays.

Our back four is as strong as any one's in the world. Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carragher and Riise are our most solid back four. Even Arbeloa can fit into the right or left position with ease and it will not dampen our strength in defence. With Hyypia on the bench, it is a very solid defence.

Our midfield is probably our most exciting department. Our central midfield is laden with world class exponents equipped with their own strenghts. Gerrard with his drive and leadership, he could probably do anything with the ball. Alonso, with his vision and crisp passing to set up defence into attack, Sissoko, whose tireless running and harrying of opponents prove essential during our win in the Nou Camp and of course, our new hero, Mascherano who is so well timed in his tackles, it does not seem that he is putting much effort into them. Our wing play may need improvement in the summer but at the moment, they are probably hitting their best patch of form this season. Pennant is coming to life on the right. Gonzalaz is showing glimpses of his brilliance. Let's hope that our wingers will do something special for this tie.

Our forward line may not be the most prolific but it could provide us a hero for this tie. With Kuyt, Crouch, Bellamy and Fowler, I am confident the all important goal will come. I will be waiting for the lineup on Wednesday but I am all for whoever Senor Benitez puts out. He knows what to do with his tactics.

My prediction would be 1-0 to the red of Merseyside with Terry and Lampard unavailable for the return leg due to stomach complications (too much of Scouse Beer). That would be ideal! But, then again with or without JT and Lamps, we will be in Athens.

There is no two ways about it. Come on you Redmen! You can do it! You'll Never Walk Alone!

Bring It On, Mourinho!!!

2007-04-12T07:24:00.000+08:00

We officially reached the semi-finals of the Champions League early this morning. Although the result was never quite in doubt, miracles do tend to happen when you see MU getting lucky with a 7-1 win over Roma. I overslept and did not manage to catch the match this morning. Perhaps, I will catch some of the highlights after work. From the reports that I read, we were professional and rested most of our key players. Would Chelsea be dreading of another repeat in 2005? Fact of the matter, we are going to play the Abramovich boy toys for the third major semifinal in three years. We are leading the count by 2-0 by the way. It could prove to be another nail biter and if we do progress through, it is going to be another classic which ever team we face in Athens. Our eternal rivals, SCUM United or our historical rivals, cocky Milan. I am drooling on the thought of our 6th European Cup already.

Back to the football, last weekend we had a pretty good win over Reading with Kuyt finally rediscovering his goal scoring touch. Seeing Pennant crossing the ball for the winning goal was brilliant. It was one of the most accurate crosses I have seen this season. Timed to perfection and finding the man to nod the ball home. In the league, 3rd place should be sealed if we do not make another major slip ups. We are garnerring enough momentum to carry us through the Champions League campaign and towards the start of next season. Let's see whether Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillet is generous enough to buy us a Villa or an Eto'o since both of them stated their preference for Liverpool.

The funny thing about this season's European campaign is I feel that our team has not been really tested yet. Even the Barcelona game was more comfortable than anyone could have expected. We are progressing smoothly without any hoo-ha or much expectations. Let the expectations be on the two English 'giants'. Two semifinals in 3 years is fantastic. It is the elite tournament in Europe, mind you! Let's see whether we can make it 2 Cups in 3 years. That would be fantastic!

Come On, Rafa! Come On, Boys!! Let's give Mourinho a farewell gift before he gets sacked by Abramovich. :P

Ruthlessly Efficient

2007-04-04T12:33:00.001+08:00

It was quarter-final time of the Champions League. It was a cagey affair for the first 20 minutes or so, with Jamie Carragher's header our best chance from Gerrard's corner. In my mind, I thought that coming through 1-0 would have been a fantastic result but the moment Stevie G screamed at Kuyt to move out of the way to head the ball to the bottom corner, I felt there were more goals into the game.

At the start of the 2nd half, PSV chose to go missing with sloppy defending one time after another and Riise punished them with a trademark drive outside the box. It was ours for the taking from then on. We stamped our authority and showed our class. We never really moved up gears but when Crouchy headed in Finnan's cross, I knew that the job was more than half done. We should be in the semifinals of the Champions League by now but let's not be overconfident and be professional. Destiny in Athens awaits us!

A special mention to our new midfield superstar, Javier Mascherano. He was immense. His positional sense was brilliant. He may not be the most skillful or flair type of players but I am sure his teammates know what he is all about. He is simple, accurate and bullish. He protects everyone around him, be it the frontline or the backline. We have Sissoko who does the dirty work by harrying around other players and rushing them into making a mistake but Masch is slightly different. He times his tackles and interventions perfectly. He is not as physical as Momo but equally important. Imagine Momo and Masch together in midfield? We may lack flair if they play together but I am sure not many teams would wanna play them. It is awesome to have 4 superb central midfielders. Gerrard, Alonso, Sissoko and now Mascherano.

No wonder Maradona called him the 'monster'! Welcome to the Kop, Javier! I am a fan already!

Misfiring Gunners and Fiery Crouch

2007-04-03T12:54:00.000+08:00

I did not put too much hope on the match with Arsenal last Saturday. We lost three times to them and conceded 12 goals to them in only three matches. Another heavy defeat was hard to swallow especially then they had already knocked us out from the two domestic cups. The performance the boys put in on Saturday was absolutely fantastic. Crouchy was immense, Gonzalez and Aurelio on the left looked dangerous every time they went down the flanks, Arbeloa and Pennant did a combination of backheels to set up the first goal and Mascherano's positional sense was fantastic.

A right foot, header and left foot hattrick is not only hard to come by for Crouchy but for any striker in the world. He was immense in his comeback, tormenting Toure and Gallas throughout the evening. Even Wenger came out and said Crouch was 'unplayable' that day. If only our strikers do this on a consistent basis, we could probably be up there with Man Utd and Chelsea. In all competitions this season, our strikers tally stand like this :-

Crouch - 16
Kuyt - 9
Bellamy - 9
Fowler - 7

I think it's fairly straightforward to know that we need a 20+ goals striker. If we have that, I guess we will be nearer to the top than we are now. Arsenal's season was defined on Saturday. They have probably destroyed their season by using too many youngsters and too much fancy footwork.

Now, we have a small matter of PSV Eindhoven to deal with tonight. Let's hope we get a good away result to ease our progression to the Mestalla or Stamford Bridge. You'll Never Walk Alone!

Towards May 23rd 2007 in Athens!

Poor Poor England

2007-03-29T08:27:00.000+08:00

I used to be an England fan. Supporting them from the days of Alan Shearer's debut in Euro 92, who at that time was partnering Gary Lineker, to the famous beer celebration by Paul Gascoigne in Euro 96. I even woke up in the wee hours of the morning to catch Beckham kick Simeone in France 98. By Euro 2000, I was kinda fed up with all the expectations England put unto themselves but they were still entrenched in my heart as the international team for me (besides Malaysia of course). They did better at the 2002 World Cup but couldn't muster a decent attack while losing to Brazil in the quarter-finals. In Euro 04, once more they lose out in a shootout. In last year's world cup, that was the tournament where I actually wanted them to lose. It was pathetic, disgraceful and inept. Losing shootouts once in a few tournaments may boikl down to luck. Losing in all of your exits in major tournaments boils down to nerves. These are highly paid professionals who earns obscene amount of money but yet, can't seem to convert from 6 yards out. But, then again if they really dreaded the shootout so bad, why couldn't they settle it in regulation time?

The last two international qualifiers they had were a disgrace. I don't really blame the coach. I blame the players. The point is, either Lampard or Gerrard needs to be dropped and obviously, I feel that Lamps is the one that does not warrant a place in the team. He does not lift his underperforming team. He can only play in a team of stars. When the chips are down, he misses more than he hits. I am a Liverpool fan but I am sure many neutrals would agree with me. Why play Lennon on the left when he is a right winger? How is he going to run to the byline and cross? It is stupid mentality and a mentality to suit the stars. If you are not performing, you are out! Guess who saved England in the match with Andorra? Stevie G of course. Typical of him. Rafa limits him on the right in Liverpool because we have equally good midfielders in the middle to suit certain tactis. If we had Lennon or Quaresma, I am sure Rafa would play Gerrard more on the middle. Both Lampard and Gerrard are similar players but if given a choice, who do you think is the better player? Who has come up with the goods when it mattered most in the most crucial of tournaments? Our captain did! So, Lamps, probably it's time to tell the coach, that you will sit in the bench for the sake of England.

I am sure it's better to sit on a bench of a winning team than playing in a lousy team. Think about it? If you can't win a World Cup or European Championships while playing in the first eleven, what is the next best thing? You win it from the bench of course. I may sound bias but it's a fact. Gerrard is better than Lampard. Period.

Sometimes, I just hope Stevie, Carra and Crouchy don't come back to Melwood injured. This is my only hope for a very dismal England team at the moment.

God Save the Team!!!

Looking forward to.......

2007-03-25T22:06:00.000+08:00

1) Liverpool's Champions League Quarter Final vs PSV.

On paper, probably it should be a shoo in for Liverpool but we still need to play to our best in order to reach the semi finals. I am positive we will not underestimate them and play to the best of our abilities.

When :- First Leg, at PSV Eindhoven on the 3rd of April 2007
:- Second Leg, at Anfield on the 11th of April 2007

2) Kien Keat and Boon Heong to continue their exploits in the world scene, Chong Wei to rediscover his form.

The next two Super Series will be held in Singapore and Indonesia respectively. It would be tough for our new heroes to continue their fine run as they will be watched by the other pairs now. My hope is that Chong Wei can rediscover his form in the coming tournaments.

Thomas Cup Prospects

2007-03-23T08:21:00.000+08:00

One of the more important tournaments in badminton would be the Thomas Cup. The Men's team event where it provides the most excitement, joy and also heartbreak to many viewers around the world. When we won in 1992, where I was barely 9 years old. I remembered jumping for joy and screaming with so much sense of pride. We reached the final a couple more times later but the closest we came to winning was actually back in 2002 where Roslin lost to Hendrawan in the decider. We lost the tie 3-2.

Since the emergence of Kien Keat and Boon Heong, I am sure many Malaysian's have begun to take more interest in the sport once more. Finally, we have a pair who wins not a player who upsets a world class player and loses the next round. We ought to aim for more. I personally hate players who say that their aim is to reach the semi-finals or finals. If you don't feel that you have a chance of winning a tournament, please do not take part. Half the battle is won and lost in the head.

Anyway, let's take a look at the big 5 teams using the latest world rankings released yesterday. Let's make it easier with a team of 10 players comprising of 4 singles players and 3 doubles pairs.

China
Lin Dan- (1)
Bao Chunlai - (2)
Chen Jin - (3)
Chen Yu - (7)
Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun - (1)
Shen Ye/He Hanbin - (42)
Guo Zhengdong/Xie Zhongbo - (54)

Denmark
Peter Gade - (5)
Kenneth Jonassen - (8)
Joachim Persson - (17)
Kesper Oedum - (29)
Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard - (2)
Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen - (17)
Simon Mollyhus/Anders Kristiansen - (20)

South Korea
Park Sung-Hwan - (14)
Lee Cheol-Ho - (61)
Hwang Jung-Woon - (79)
Shon Sheong-Mo - (95)
Jung Jae-Sung/Lee Yong-Dae - (3)
Hwang Ji-Man/Lee Jae-Jin - (11)
Yoo Yeon-Seong/Han Sang-Hoon - (71)

Indonesia
Sony Dwi Kuncoro - (11)
Taufik Hidayat - (18)
Simon Santoso - (20)
Jeffer Rosobin - (57)
Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan - (4)
Candra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan - (5)
Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto - (8)

Malaysia
Lee Chong Wei - (4)
Hafiz Hashim - (9)
Roslin Hashim - (19)
Lee Tsuen Seng - (21)
Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah - (6)
Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong - (10)
Gan Teik Chai/Zakry Latif - (13)

With all this players lined up, let's do a simple calculation on who are the favourites based on their best average world ranking of 3 singles and 2 doubles. I am sure China will be the favourites already looking at the strength of their singles but let's have a little fun. The results are :-

China - 9.8
Denmark - 9.8
South Korea - 33.6
Indonesia - 11.6
Malaysia - 9.6

I did not expect this. Malaysia has the lowest average ranking if we take into account the best lineup possible. Would 2008 be our year of regaining the cup? China's strength in the singles may just pull them through but who knows? Another gem from Malaysia could emerge by then. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Malaysia Boleh!

The Best Pair in the World

2007-03-19T12:00:00.000+08:00

Kien Keat and Boon Heong won the Swiss Open Super Series title last night. It was another impressive win although they were a little off their best last night. They showed nerves of steel when it mattered and played the important points better than the Danes. That proved crucial in a pretty scrappy match where it only started to sparkle at the end of the 2nd set.

Winning 3 of the 4 Super Series tournaments thus far is amazing. Watching them play for each other is a joy to watch. This is the first pair I have seen from Malaysia who encourages each other after a mistake or a winning shot. No blaming and just moving on to concentrate on the next point. It is certainly a great partnership. At 21 and 19, let's hope they would further improve on their understanding on court. That part of their game still needs polishing as they do sometimes tend to go for the same shuttle.

They have certainly proved to be the pair to beat this year. Their ranking may not show but I am sure not a single pair in the world would want to face them. Maybe Jung Jae-sung and Lee Yong-dae would want to give it a shot as they are the only top pair yet to face our current hotshots. Whether they meet sooner or later, I am sure our pair would give their best and come up victorious.

Hail to the best pair in the world! Kudos to both of you! Malaysia Boleh!

National Heroes

2007-03-12T08:37:00.000+08:00

The All England Badminton Championships 2007 ended last night with China sweeping 4 of the 5 titles at stake but we sneaking in and winning the one that probably mattered to them most. The event China are weakest at, the Men's doubles. Kien Keat and Boon Heong was fantastic throughout the match. Remembered my prediction yesterday? It was two straight sets. I do not know why but this pair does not give me the jitters like other pairs. They do not give me the feeling that they will choke on the big stage. Only 5 tournaments together and they won 3 of them All highly charged and world class field tournaments. 2 Super Series and the Asian Games. What would you expect from a partnership of 6 months? It is truly fantastic.

I thinked I have posted something about Rexy wanting to quit during the Asian Games after the team event debacle. Take a bow, Rexy! You have made our rising stars champions! We have too many rising stars but not many make the grade as consistent champions. Malaysian sports is famous for it's athletes being consistently inconsistent. You have unearth two gems who love the sport and play with passion. I thank you and salute you for that! Teach these boys humility as they become better and more succesful in the game. If they would finish their careers with half the honours you won as a player, I am sure many Malaysians will be very happy.

Come on, Kien Keat and Boon Heong! Let's have our first World Champions in August! Malaysia Boleh! By the way, I may go all the way to KL to see your shaven head, Kien Keat!

Congratulations! You guys deserve it!

All England Final 2007 Preview

2007-03-11T11:31:00.000+08:00

The finals of the 3rd leg of the Super Series will be underway tonight. We have a pair in the finals where not many people would be surprise about. The fact is, they have taken the world of badminton by storm. 5 tournaments into their partnership, they have won twice, runnersup once, semifinalist once and now, reaching another final of a major tournament.

Watching them demolish 2-time All England Champions, Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard Hansen was a masterclass. It was simple, effective and brilliant badminton. For all the people who cannot see beyond the power and smashing in badminton, you will not be able to appreciate Kien Keat and Boon Heong's skills. They are quick, agile, smart and crafty in their play. They do not have the biggest smash in the game but they have the all round play to hurt their opponents as much as a one time big smash by let's say Fu Haifeng.

The Danes have been famous through their careers for being mentally stronger than their opponents. They infamously deprieved Tan Fook and Wan Wah two All-England titles purely by mental strength or perhaps a lacking of it from our Malaysian veterans. This new pair is like a breath of fresh air. They are intelligent, brave and brash in their approach. Fearing no one that comes along their way. Their path to the final was not easy but they have yet to dropped a set.

Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng would not be easy tonight. But, for a sports enthusiast like me, I would guess that the Chinese pair game plan is to attack, attack and attack. If their attacking game is working, they could be tough to beat but if Rexy can come up with a plan to thwart that, Kien Keat and Boon Heong would be our first pair to win the All-England in 25 years. They have stopped the drought in the Asian Games with 36 years. Let's hope that the drought at All-England stops at 25.

My prediction would be victory to the Malaysians. (What do you expect?) It could be a quick two setter or even a tight three setter. Any way the match progresses, I believe our pair have what it takes to win it. Malaysia Boleh!

Into the last eight and beyond

2007-03-08T07:50:00.000+08:00

Ya, if you were to have browsed through the Liverpool official website and read the reports from the various newspapers in the UK, as a Liverpool fan, you would be extremely proud of our team. We showed guts, determination, courage and class. We had enough heart to weather the storm when Gudjohnsen scored the first goal, we had enough determination to make up for our lesser skills (compared to Ronaldinho, Messi and Eto'o) with tenacity. Sometimes, on these big European nights, I for one do not expect too much of Liverpool's football. A journey through the triumph in 2005 proves that supporting Liverpool is spiritual. You go through the tough times and by doing so, you cherish the good times even more. We epitomized the meaning of team spirit. I am so proud of the team. I was in the gym on the treadmill when the last 16 draw was made. I was upset like ever as Barcelona would be my favourite team to win the competition if Liverpool were not in it. I was upset because I felt that it would be a monumental task to dethrone the champions of Europe. But, as the media begin slating Liverpool's chances to almost nil. I got so sick of it and deep in my heart, I felt that we could pull through. Remember in 2005, we trashed a very in-form Leverkusen, table topping Juventus and of course, big spending Chelsea. Oh, of course Milan as well. :)

The last eight would be as tough as the last round of matches. Looking at the teams remaining in the competition, I echo the sentiments of Stevie G of wanting to avoid the Englich clubs, but then again, do you think any club would fancy playing Liverpool? :P Chelsea would not want to lose to Liverpool for 3 consecutive seasons in a major competition, do they? Man Utd should know that we will not let them go this time around. So, instead of us wanting to avoid them, I am sure Mourinho and Fergie would want to avoid us too. Besides, how many champions league have both Chelsea and Man Utd won? Zero and Two.

Here is the answer to how many we have won. Five! :)

The draw is on Friday night at 7pm. Probably will catch it on ESPN. I would guess it would look something like that. Hopefully, my predictions are right. :)

Liverpool vs Valencia
Man Utd vs Chelsea
PSV Eindhoven vs Roma
Bayern Munich vs AC Milan

Rafa back at the Mestalla? That would be great, ain't it.

Barca Stunner, Blunt Blades and Kop End Robbery

2007-03-06T07:15:00.000+08:00

It's been a few weeks since I last posted anything on this site. Thank to the CNY holidays, I was still in a bit of a holiday mood. :) The match 2 weeks ago when we shocked Barcelona at Nou Camp will rank as one of the greatest European nights in Liverpool's history but it would be to no avail if we do not see out tonight's 2nd leg tie at Anfield. Saying that, I am very confident we wil go through although Barcelona are the finest team in Europe should they choose to do so. Liverpool, on the other hand, who I may not be brave enough to say is the finest in Europe, perhaps do have the tag of the grittiest and toughest team to beat in a hostile or super charged European confrontation.

After the match at the Nou Camp, we had a relatively easy 4-0 win over the bumbling blades who decided to allow Robbie Fowler's goal tally to increase. His two expertly taken penalties was a reminder of his brilliance. He may be past it but imagine having him as a penalty taker in any of the European ties if we needed a shoot out? That would be great, ain't it.

Let's move on to the tough part. The robbery in midday at Anfield. We were robbed last Saturday to a O' Sheat goal. What a Sheat goal it was, when Giggs was playing for the free kick when he knew he couldn't get past the Reds defence. We were playing them off the park for almost like 90% of the match. Do we hear Rafa said that we lost to a team who only played 1 minute of football and won the match? That was what Sir Alex Said when he beat them enroute to our finest FA Cup victory last season. That is typical Rafa! Pure class. I am still totally behind him for slagging of the Toffees as a small team because facts are facts, Everton will never be bigger than Liverpool. And if you are no where near the stature of Liverpool, you are a small team. Period! :)

Bracing for Nou Camp!

2007-02-16T11:00:00.000+08:00

It was a disappointing result last week slumping ot the defeat at St. James Park. We should have capitalize on our chances with Bellamy at his brilliant best. Sad to say, our hopes of this year's EPL is gone and dusted. Let's focus all our energy in consolidating our place in the top 4 and challenge to win the Champions League once more. It would be great if we can win no.6 this year.

The Barca camp is in turmoil at the moment. With Eto'o and Ronnie being unfriendly to each other, it could be used to our advantage. Let's rise to the occasion once more. Anyone remembers the UEFA Cup semifinal in 2001? We raised our game and Kluivert 'handed' us a penalty and good old McAllister put us through with a fantastic spot kick to the top left corner of the keeper (if I am not mistaken).

We will need guts to go through this tie. Guts we definitely have! Let's show to Eto'o that Liverpool is a team worthy to join next season. The possibility of Eto'o coming (although slim) is making me drool. An Eto'o-Kuyt forward line would be the best in the world I think. Let's keep our fingers crossed. :)

You'll Never Walk Alone!

"Tu voluntad nunca caminata solo"

Merseyside Derby Hangover Cured by Takeover

2007-02-08T08:13:00.000+08:00

It was a wretched weekend when we should have grabbed all three points against our small neighbour, Everton. Rafa had every right to refer Everton as a small club because they clearly are. When they come to fortress Anfield to defend for 90 minutes plus added time, it was clearly going to be a dull game. Man U and Chelsea won their matches last weekend. Perhaps, our slim chances of Premiership glory should be gone by now but come next season, when the cash is in the coffers, we will be up there. With the new owners promising Rafa to support his transfer targets. Would you see Liverpool lining up like this next season?

GK - Reina
RB - Alves
LB - Bale
CB - Carragher
CB - Agger
RW - Quaresma
LW - Simao
CM - Alonso
CM - Gerrard (C)
FW - Kuyt
FW - Villa

S1 - Bellamy
S2 - Carson
S3 - Aurelio
S4 - Riise
S5 - Sissoko
S6 - Crouch
S7 - Gonzalez

Oh ya, we will get Cristiano Ronaldo to clean up our lawn at Anfield with his passion for diving. He would love his new job. :)

Welcome to Anfield, George Gillett and Tom Hicks! You'll have our support!!!! You'll Never Walk Alone!

Kuyt 1 Crouch 1 Kepa 1

2007-01-31T16:24:00.000+08:00

I woke up at 330 in the morning to catch the match live on ESPN. It was a bore in the first half as I was comtemplating of not watching the 2nd half to catch up on my much deprieved sleep. 10 seconds into the 2nd half, Crouch nodded down the ball for Kuyt to hit one unstoppable shot off the crossbar and into the net. Being late or early in the wee hours in the morning, I raised my fist to celebrate without a sound. It was a brilliant goal for Kuyt. His best to date in a Liverpool shirt. Before Alan Curbishley could realize what did he not say right during the half time break, Alonso, Gerrard, Riise and Crouch combined to score one of the most beautiful pass and move goals you will ever see. It was total domination from then on. Ripping apart their defence at will. We should have made it safe by scoring the third.

Then, on-loan Sevilla striker Kepa Blanco chose to score 90 seconds into his debut. West Ham improved and we looked edgy towards the finishing line. Nevertheless, we won and 3 more important points as we hunt down Chelsea who is only 2 behind although with a game in hand.

It would be Merseyside derby this Saturday. Let's go and chew the toffees into bits and pieces. I would love us to trash them just for revenge but a win would do for me. Let's conserve our energy and hit Barcelona when they least expect it.

Anyone saw Rafa fell when trying to retrieve the ball from the touchline? I love this man. He is real. He is our Rafa! Come on, Rafa's Redmen! We can do it. You'll Never Walk Alone!

Weekend of Excellence

2007-01-29T18:59:00.000+08:00

It was a weekend full of sporting action. Though Liverpool was not involve in the FA Cup matches, I was occupied by the Korean Open Badminton Super Series, the AFF Semifinal between Malaysia and Singapore and of course, the Australian Open. It was a weekend of sports to say the least, the best way to spend the weekend together with your loved ones.

First up, I managed to catch Kien Keat and Boon Heong in action for the semifinals of the Korean Open. Although they lost quite tamely to Hwang Ji Man and Lee Jae Jin, it would be understandable after two weeks of world class badminton. Something had to give but it was no shame as the Korean pair were deserving winners on the day. After watching the match, the honours for the Beijing Olympics could be a fascinating tussle between Koo-Tan, Chandra-Tony and the two Korean pairs, Jae Jin-Ji Man and the Korean Open winners, Yong Dae and Jae Sung. In my opinion, these pair would be the four best pairs in the world at the moment although the ranking may suggest otherwise. Hafiz put on a credible show against Chen Jin but succumbed to his errors once again. He could be the Roger Federer of badminton if he got his mental strength sorted out. That is how much I rate him talent wise.

Then, while hitting the gym, I manage to catch the later part of the 2nd half between Malaysia and Singapore in the AFF semifinals. It was a passionate affair. More brawns than brains kinda match but I finally could see some hunger from our national side. That is commendable although we lost on penalties. Let's hope their enthusiasm towards the game continue for our football to improve. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Then finally, I witnessed a master class by Roger Federer. He is a champion that everyone loves. He is humble enough and yet confident enough to showcase his fantastic ability around the tennis court. Watching him play tennis makes you think that tennis is such an easy game. (It is not, believe me) Gonzalez played the match of his life yet came up way short against the Swiss mestro. He has 10 Grand Slams after winning the Aussie Open yesterday. At 25, I would suggest that he could easily surpass Pete Sampras's haul of 14 Grand Slams. Federer will be the best ever player in tennis's history. That is a safer bet than Man Utd winning the Champions League this season. Believe me!

Super Show by Kien Keat and Boon Heong

2007-01-22T20:51:00.000+08:00

I was priviledged to watch the Malaysian Open Super Series Finals 2007 at the KLBA Stadium in Cheras. It was an occasion to remember when our doubles pair of Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong put on a show to stun Sydney Olympic Champions, Tony Gunawan and Chandra Wijaya in straight sets to win the inaugural Super Series tournament in KL.

This pair certainly had what it takes to win even more major honours if they keep the right attitude. Too many a time when our athletes fail because of their severely lacking mental attibute of patience, determination, confidence and poise. This pair seem to have it all. Winning the Asian Games gold medal proved to be no fluke after all. We never had a shortage of skillful shuttlers, it's just we had very few smart ones. The ones who will win the points when the chips are down or when it matters most. I foresee this pair destined for greater heights if they keep their heads down and do what they do best, play good badminton.

It was absolutely breathtaking to watch it live in the stadium. Both our young stars had impregnable defence, you could see the expression on the faces of Tony and Chandra when their smashes kept coming back. This match could signify the changing of guard. The new replacing the old where Tony and Chandra, legendary in their own right were given a run around by the hottest pair in world badminton today. Believe me, not many Malaysian pairs would be able to match Chandra and Tony, let alone beat them fair and square.

Tony Gunawan, with 3 world titles with different partners would probably be the best ever doubles player in badminton's history eclipsing even the likes of Park Joo Bong and Rexy Mainaky. I truly believe Kien Keat and Boon Heong will be up there at the end of their careers if their attitude is right. By the way, they are only 22 and 20 respectively. Bring on Beijing 2008 and London 2012. We may have multiple Olympic gold medallists come 2012. It's exciting times for Malaysian badminton. Let's hope our singles shuttlers buck up! Malaysia Boleh!

A Glimpse of Malaysian Open Super Series 2007 Finals

2007-01-22T09:16:00.000+08:00

Our champions, Kien Keat and Boon Heong warming up before their match with Tony and Chandra. It was a breathtaking match. Worth the entry ticket alone.

Current Olympic Champion, Taufik Hidayat signing autographs on finals day. He lost, remember?

Bao Chunlai getting instructions during the match with Peter Gade. He eventually lost in three sets.

Peter Gade walking to the rostrum after tossing his shirt and racket to the crowd.

Of Mew Choo, Kien Kiat, Boon Heong and Liverpool FC

2007-01-20T22:49:00.000+08:00

Wow! One of the most amazing days in sporting terms for me. All our shuttlers who reached the semi finals on Saturday won their matches and will be strutting their stuff in the finals tomorrow. I'll be heading to the KLBA stadium to watch the finals. It will be an exciting fare with Bao Chunlai vs Peter Gade, Wong Mew Choo vs Zhu Lin and Kien Kiet-Boon Heong vs Chandra-Tony. I will write on the shuttlers when I get back from the KLBA stadium tomorrow.

LIVERPOOL 2 CHELSEA 0

It was a fantastic match. Chelsea was under strength in their defence with the comical Geremi at rightback, 'so called best leftback' in the world, Ashley Cole and our main characters in today's match, bumbling Ferreira and stuttering Essien. It was so satisfying to get one over them. My brother and I were shouting like hell when Kuyt nodded the ball past Ferreira and left 'rugby' star, Cech standing helpless with a fine strike.

We controlled the match and Jermain Pennant chose to score his first goal against the reigning but bumbling Premiership Champions, Chelsea. What a strike it was! It was one of the sweetest volleys you will ever see in such a highly charged match. When his mate, Ashley Cole chose to underestimate his shooting accuracy by not charging down while he prepared himself for the thumping volley, Petr Cech was hearing the ball cracked the crossbar and went in for the second goal.

We finally broke the duck against Chelsea in the league. We are five points behind Chelsea and the race for 2nd spot is back on. I would pray that Arsenal would beat MU at the Emirates tomorrow to narrow the gap to 11 points. With MU coming to visit at Anfield, it could be a 8 point difference by then. I would be really keeping my fingers crossed for that to happen. I would love it if we caught up and win the league. I would absolutely love it, but then again, it will be wishful thinking till it happens.

Anyway, I am more optimistic after this victory. It was certainly a massive one to win! You'll Never Walk Alone! Cheers, Benitez. You got it right today!

Malaysian Open 2007 Round 2

2007-01-19T07:46:00.000+08:00

Quite a disappointing day for the Malaysian shuttlers in my opinion. We are left with Chong Wei to challenge for the Men's Singles, Kien Kiat - Boon Heong and Bin Shen - Soon Hock to vie for the Men's Doubles and Mew Choo in the Women's Singles. Special mention to Bin Shen-Soon Hock for shocking current World Champions and World No. 1 Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng yesterday. It was a pleasant upset for the Malaysian upstarts. I remembered a few years back when they defeated Jens Erikssen and Martin Lundgaard Hansen, they were tipped to be the next big thing but things stagnated a while and it was good to see them get a good win for their confidence. Their next assignment, Tony Gunawan-Chandra Wijaya. That would be one hell of a tough match.

I am praying hard that our shuttlers will be featuring in the finals on Sunday because I bought tickets to watch it with Grace, my brother and sister. I better be there in the stadium on Sunday to cheer our shuttlers. If not, it will be a total letdown. Let's go shuttlers. Malaysia Boleh!!

Malaysian Open 2007 - Round 1

2007-01-18T02:43:00.000+08:00

Besides Liverpool, I am also an avid fan of other sports such as badminton, tennis, golf and etc. The new season of Badminton has started and the first round results of the Malaysian Open for the Malaysians were mixed nevertheless. We have Chong Wei, Beng Hong, Kay Bin and Choon Hann through to the 2nd Round. Hafiz disappointed once more with his loss to Chen Hong, the player he defeated in the 2003 All England Final. In my honest opinion, he will be a goner in the badminton scene if he does not buck up anytime soon. Guess what? He will be facing Chen Hong once more in the first round of the 2nd Super Series tournament of the year, the Korean Open.

Our doubles pairs that advanced were Kien Kiet-Boon Heong, Fairuz-Woon Fui and Bin Shen-Soon Hock. Our veteran pair of Tan Fook-Wan Wah once more proved to be the most inconsistent and erratic pair in the world when succumbing to opponents I never even heard of before. Perhaps the time is up for them to hang up their racquets and give the youngsters the chance to compete if they continue to under perform.

Wong Mew Choo upset Pi Hongyan to advance to the 2nd Round. Should be an interesting 2nd round of matches tomorrow. I for one is at the moment contemplating whether to go down KL to catch the semifinals and finals this weekend. I'll decide by tomorrow I guess. Hopefully, our shuttlers will win a few titles this time around. Malaysia Boleh!

A stroll at Vicarage Road

2007-01-17T06:30:00.000+08:00

A little late on my thoughts on the previous match on Saturday. Watched the match with my brother and dad in the comforts of home sweet home, Seremban! We were kinda sloppy and impatient in the first quarter of the hour or so. Succumbing to their long ball tactics, but as the commentators said the other day, our class showed. The 3-4-3 formation worked although I was quite sceptical when I saw the team sheet at the start of the match. Bellamy and Kuyt were fantastic once more. When you see Kuyt and Bellamy play more and more, you will understand clearly why they were brought into Anfield by Rafa Benitez. Bellamy reminds me of a certain Michael Owen, and I think Bells workrate is even higher compare to Michael. Kuyt is a rarity as a striker. He hustles, runs, chases, do all the dirty work, dropping back deep to play a pass, hold up the ball and bring the whole team into play. That is what I called an unselfish player. It's a good trait I believe. Perhaps, one out and out goalscorer to come hopefully by January or in the summer to equip ourselves with a natural goalscorer. Any suggestions? Villa, Torres, Bent, Defoe? I am not too sure about these people but the prospect of signing a big name is always very very exciting.

As for the match at Vicarage Road, a brace by Crouch and a Bellamy opener sealed the match. It would do the confidence a whole lot of good before the Russian army come visiting on Saturday. I am confident we will gain something from the match. I have to be! You'll Never Walk Alone. Mourinho, we'll be chasing you down. Sir Alex, you better watch over your back as the Reds are marching in!

Liverpool 3 Baptista 4 Arsenal 6

2007-01-10T19:02:00.000+08:00

I am gobsmacked with the scoreline. I did not manage to catch the match but I set my alarm clock at 445 to check the half time score. When www.xscores.com showed 1-4 to Arsenal, I was thinking it must be a mistake. After a few moments, it finally sank in and I went to sleep hoping for a miracle. When I woke up for work, the scoreline read Liverpool 3-Arsenal 6. How in the world did we allow 6 goals at fortress Anfield?

I would say that Dudek would play a part in the 9 goals we conceded in two games with the Gunners but my respect for Benitez increased when he said he fielded Dudek to fulfil a promise he made to the Polish custodian earlier in the season. That is a tell tale of a person who has class and dignity. A person who keeps his words although it could backfire on the team. It did backfire but he gained my respect. Liverpool are in good hands with Senor Benitez at the helm. Maybe we will not win the domestic cups once more or the treble cup I once bragged in my earlier posts. Fear not, come February, we will take on Barcelona and give them a fight till the death. We will show the world when adversity hits Anfield, we will come back stronger than ever.

I am a true Merseyside Red. Been in love with Liverpool since the age of 7, and hopefully my wish to see them lift the League Title will occur in my lifetime. I've seen all the other trophies by the way. :P FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, UEFA Cup and the European Super Cup.

We will be back.....................with a vengeance. :)

In the back of a bruising defeat.............

2007-01-09T00:27:00.000+08:00

I dread this post. Writing after a loss is hard to take. I am suppose to brag and celebrate Liverpool's victories and triumphs. No, I will take every defeat on the chin and stand by the team through thick and thin. When Dirk Kuyt, pulled one goal back for us, I was praying so hard a miracle could happen again. When Henry chose to punish us with a sublime run and finish, I knew we will not be at Wembley come May 2007.

Kudos to the boys for fighting their socks off, and if I am not mistaken, Kuyt was named the man of the match (to my surprise), I would have voted for Rosicky with two superb goals. We will be back tomorrow for the Carling Cup. Losing twice to the Gunners in three days will be damn hard to take. I am sure the boys will rise to the occasion and gain some revenge in the form of the Carling Cup.

You'll Never Walk Alone! And I will never let the Reds walk alone after a defeat.

'When we walk, through a storm, hold your hand, up high.............................

Of Blackburn, Spurs and Bolton......

2007-01-02T13:57:00.000+08:00

Been off this blog for a while as I did not have internet access these few days. After the match with Watford, we had three matches to play for in the recently ended festive period. We went to Ewood Park and seemed to be controlling the match throughout with Crouchy guilty of at least three gilt-edge chances. Sometimes, Peter Crouch bemuses me because his ability with his feet seem to outclass his aerial prowess although he is of 6'7" frame. His timing on his jumps could be improved and if he does just that, he will score more goals from his head. The misses by the Reds proved crucial as we slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Ewood Park. With 6 defeats already in the season, I would guess realistically our chance of claiming the Holy Grail which is the Premiership should be gone and dusted by now.

After the slump in Ewood Park, a tougher match on paper would be a trip to White Hart Lane where Spurs were in top form and proved to be a tough nut to crack at home. It was one of those days where whoever scores the first goal would eventually win the game. On the stroke of half time, a blunder by the Ivorian enforcer, Didier Zakora paved the way for King Luis to stroke the ball home from close range after solid running by Captain Stevie. When Berbatov was introduced at the start of the 2nd half, Spurs looked an entirely different team and Carra and Agger were brilliant in thwarting the increasingly confident Spurs attack line. We held on in the end with Stevie Finnan nearly scoring an own goal which richochet off the crossbar. Three vital points in the fight for third place.

The 3rd vs 4th clash was scheduled yesterday and it seemed that Bolton kept us at bay for a good 60 minutes with their infamous tactics. Former Kopite, El-Hadji Diouf showed to the world why he is an ex-Liverpool player with his disgraceful antics. True Liverpool players do not dive! As the match entered the crucial period, then came Crouchy with his now trademark bicycle kick. It was a beauty to say the least. The joy on his face showed it all and he certainly made up for all the misses in the defeat to Blackburn. Less than 2 minutes after, Stevie G volleyed home a sweet shot and left the Bolton keeper stranded. We could have been ahead by a few more if not for the in-form Finnish stopper. Dirk Kuyt showed his class with a superb exhibition of pure power and finesse with a brilliant finish to make the scoreline 3-0.

We are right where we wanted to be at the moment. Consolidating third place although we would have loved to be a few points closer to Man Utd. As it stands at the moment, we are

Man Utd P22 +34 54pts
Chelsea P21 +20 47pts
Liverpool P22 +16 40pts
Bolton P22 +6 39pts
Arsenal P21 +18 36pts
Pompey P22 +11 36pts

Chelsea and Arsenal will be completing their festive fixtures tonight. Let's hope that they slip up and give us a chance to catch Chelsea and keep a comfortable distance from the Gunners.
Guess what? We have two back to back clashes with Arsenal at Anfield in the FA Cup and Carling Cup. I am looking forward to it. Perhaps a Cup Treble will be in the cards this season. With the Champions League this time of course. :)

Liverpool 2 Watford 0

2006-12-26T17:06:00.000+08:00

A little late on the reaction from this match but it was nevertheless a professional performance by the Reds. Bellamy proving that he is the in form striker for Liverpool at the moment with a calm and classy strike right after the restart. Thanks to a horror miss by Bangura, we could have been a goal down at the break. We are proving to be very resilient at the back and with 4 wins, 13 goals and conceding none is a very good stat for any team in the league.

Alonso, then left it late to show his class from long range. As the commentors say, he doesn't seem to score easy goals. Remember the wonder goal that left Steve Harper crestfallen to the ground? We have Blackburn tonight. Let's keep up the momentum and see where we are at the end of this festive period.

My predictions in the last round of matches were wrong. Arsenal and MU won their games. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the leaders will slip up a little. I am an optimist when it comes to the Reds. Istanbul 2005 anyone?

Looking forward to Christmas and beyond

2006-12-21T18:10:00.000+08:00

The Carling Cup match with Arsenal was postponed due to heavy fog the other night. This would mean the rescheduled match will be played a few days after the FA Cup match with the Gunners. Playing Arsenal twice in a week at Anfield will definitely prove devastating for the Gunners when they get kicked out of both cups in the same week by the same team. I certainly look forward to it. :)

Let's talk about the Christmas fixtures. We have Watford at home, then a trip to Ewood Park, host Bolton at Anfield and finish up our festive matches with a tricky trip to White Hart Lane. From what I see, all four matches are definitely winnable. I would pray and hope by the end of these four matches, we would close the gap with the top two to a single digit margin. Let's have a look at what's in store for the big 4 this festive season.

Liverpool

vs Watford (H) - WIN
vs Blackburn (A) - WIN
vs Bolton (H) - WIN
vs Tottenham (A) - WIN

Chelsea

vs Wigan (A) - WIN
vs Reading (H) - WIN
vs Fulham (H) - WIN
vs Aston Villa (A) - LOSE

Man Utd

vs Aston Villa (A) - LOSE
vs Wigan (H) - WIN
vs Reading (H) - DRAW
vs Newcastle (A) - LOSE

Arsenal

vs Blackburn (H) - DRAW
vs Watford (A) - WIN
vs Sheff Utf (A) - WIN
vs Charlton (H) - WIN

At the end of this festive period, if my predictions prove correct. Here will how the table look like.

Chelsea 51 pts
Man Utd 48 pts
Liverpool 43 pts
Arsenal 41 pts

If this would be the case, I am sure that it will still be an exciting 4 horse race to the title. I truly believe Liverpool can do it. You'll Never Walk Alone. Let the Kop inspire the Reds to success.

Preview - Liverpool vs Arsenal (Carling Cup Quarter Finals)

2006-12-18T20:09:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow's grudge match with Arsenal would be the first of 2 cup ties we have against the Gunners. We are of course scheduled to play them once more in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup in January. If you are a Liverpool fan, brace yourself in the year of 2007 where the big matches comes thick and fast. We have the home league matches against MU, Chelsea and Arsenal, the 2 matches vs Barcelona and the FA Cup tie once again versus the Gunners.

All these matches have the potential to be classics as Liverpool start to gather momentum in their newly found rich vein of form. All the gloom and glum of a few weeks ago are replaced by optimisim and enthusiasm.

We shall stamp our mark tomorrow when we face the Arsenal. Rafa said that a strong team will be expected from the Reds and we look forward to a good performance from Rafa's Redmen. After all, I am dying to see us avenge our earlier loss to them in the league. Tomorrow shall be our first small step to capturing all the cups this season. A treble of the Carling Cup, FA Cup and the Champions League wouldn't harm the chances of launching an all out assault at the league title next season.

Come on you Reds! You'll Never Walk Alone.

Liverpool 3 Charlton 0

2006-12-17T10:06:00.000+08:00

I managed to catch this match in a very popular Nasi Kandar stall somewhere in Penang. It was eventful from the set go as a former Red, Champions League winner Djimi Traore decided to give his former team a favour by doing a kung-fu kick on Jermaine Pennant and award Liverpool a penalty in the 3rd minute. Xabi coolly slotted home the spot kick and gave the Reds the lead. From then on, Liverpool dominated and could have scored a few more if not for Traore's goal line clearance and bad finishing on Liverpool's part.

Charlton managed a few decent chances and let themselves down with criminal finishing. Liverpool's football was at times breathtaking to say the least. It still bemuses me why didn't they play as well at the start of the season. We could be up there challenging MU and Chelsea.

Fast forward to the last 10 minutes of the game, Bellamy ran onto a Finnan left foot cross/pass and volleyed home a beauty. Bells is finally hitting form and was torturing the Addicks defence the whole match. Then, probably came the best goal of the match. Super Stevie curled in from an almost impossible position to make the scoreline a true reflection of the match. Pure Liverpool domination. It's Arsenal in the Carling Cup in midweek. Let's hope we progress further in all our Cup competitions. Besides, we have the small matter of Barcelona somewhere in February.

Sporty Bitz Observation : Reina looked cool in the Liverpool cap. :)

Doha Asian Games 2006 Malaysian Roundup

2006-12-17T09:05:00.000+08:00

The Asian Games in Doha concluded a few days back and it has been a roller coaster ride for some of our Malaysian athletes. I had the oppurtunity to watch several games on Astro and I was thrilled when Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong won the Men's Doubles Gold when nobody gave a ghost of a chance to this newly formed pair. It was indeed refreshing to see effort, perseverance and determination from our Malaysian shuttlers. The countless times where the expectations exceeded the end result made me a very sceptical but still a very passionate fan of Malaysian sports. The fact that Kien Keat is a La Sallian (Michaelian) makes it sweeter for those who know what the La Sallian spirit is all about.

Then we have our queen of squash, Nicol David who is proving to be the Roger Federer or Tiger Woods of squash. It is such a rarity where we have a Malaysian athlete who is unparrallel in terms of excellence and commitment. She is the epitome of Malaysian sports. All budding young sportsmen be it in sepak takraw, football, or even hockey shoulld take Nicol as a fine example to follow. I am sure we as Malaysians are truly proud of all her achievements.

Although the Doha Games cannot be concluded as a total failure to the Malaysian contingent, it also cannot be regarded as a total success. We are far off compared to a lot of countries. Even China were not satisfied with their medal haul. Imagine that, 160 ++ gold medals and they are not satisfied. The hunger to succeed is always needed in order to get to the next level. Believe me, if China were to have garnered 200 gold medals in Doha, they would want to get 201 gold medals in Guangzhou. That is success. Never resting on our laurels. We are as good as our last performance. Maybe that is one of the reasons our Malaysian athletes are not achieving what they truly can. They live on one major achievement and just 'chill out' for the remainder of their careers. That's a real shame as we have the ability, the facilities, the support but the only thing that defeats us is our attitude.

When Rexy Mainaky came out and lash at out doubles shuttlers after the Team Event defeat, I was more than willing to agree with him. Besides, why would you want to argue with an Olympic Champion and mutiple World Champion? The good thing about the lashing was we finally landed gold in badminton after 36 years. We pride ourselves as being a superpower in badminton along with China, Indonesia, Korea and Denmark but let's be honest with ourselves, how many major titles have we won compared to these 4 superpowers? The only major titles I can recall would be Hafiz's triumph at All England in 2003 and this recent Asian Games gold. I would hope that Hafiz can bounce back and reproduce the form of 2003 as watching him play in recent times can really make you go bonkers. Brilliant at times and disastrous for stretches of a match.

It was an exciting 15 days of competition. The Olympics is less than 2 years away and it would be truly great if we can produce our first Olympic gold medallist in Beijing. I am an optimist when it comes to sports. Let's do it. Bring on Beijing 2008.