Alonso

Is Roberto Firmino finally showing he’s the Suarez Replacement?

Replacing Luis Suarez was an almost impossible task. The sort that nobody wants to take on because you knew it was going to be thankless. The Uruguayan sensation lit up Anfield during his time with The Reds. The goals, the controversy, the desire to win and the spectacular moments that will live long in...

Liverpool’s Boom-Bust Seasons Need To Stop Under Klopp

4th. 2nd. 7th. 6th. 8th. 7th. 2nd. 6th. In the last 8 years, no other club in England has yo-yoed quite like Liverpool from the verges of greatness to the verges of mediocrity. Each league season tells their own story, and this context must be fully appreciated in each situation. But clearly a pattern has...

Klopp is the Right X-Factor for the Right Time

Just days ago, when an Arsenal fan mentioned Sanchez, Arsene Wenger or their huge stadium as their x-factor, I would have struggled to respond. I would have suffered a similar fate when a United fan talked about their riches, their experienced and accomplished manager. Or a Chelsea fan brought up their world class manager...

Walking On Through The Storm

It’s a stressful thing supporting modern Liverpool. Far more than just following a football team, having a pint, and hoping they will win the match when they take the field, which, after all, is what it really should be about. We fret about everything now. Fellow Reds willingly offer counsel on this matter on...

Where has Liverpool’s fight gone?

May, 2005, 49 minutes past 11 was the first time in my life I cried at a game of football on television. Being 7 years old, it was the first time I was of conscious mind when my beloved Liverpool got their hands on some silverware, and better yet, the 5th European Cup. Doesn’t...

A Solid Spine Would Do Liverpool Just Fine!

I’ve watched a lot of football over the best part of nearly 20 years and I’ve seen some great sides, some played beautiful expansive football, whilst others adopted a more defensive approach where they’d be ruthless on the counter attack. I’ve witnessed so many great managers and tacticians orchestrate various formations such as 4-5-1,...

Rafa vs Rodgers – Comparing Their First Three Years

Brendan has just begun his fourth season as manager and his first three years have been full of great expectations with limited success. It is hard to pinpoint exactly how well Rodgers has performed whilst in charge. In three seasons under Rodgers, the Reds have finished in 7th, 2nd and 6th, with two cup semi-finals...

Heroes of our Past: Xabi Alonso

In the summer of 2004, there was a renaissance underway at Anfield.  Liverpool replaced Gerard Houllier with a new man on the touchline in former Valencia manager, Rafa Benitez. Freshly off his second La Liga title in only three seasons at the Mestalla, the Spaniard was set to bring a winning mentality and tenacity...

Liverpool Needs Its Own X-Factor To Progress

The Oxford Dictionary defines x-factor as “a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome”. X-factors tend to be the difference between teams that win trophies, those who fail to make top 4 and those that end up being relegated. An x-factor of some sort is therefore...

Xabi Alonso: The Pass Master

We thought it may never happen again. But last weekend we all got to watch Xabi Alonso play at Anfield one last time, as he took to the pitch for Liverpool's all-star charity game and inevitably,  received a standing ovation. Labelled as "the passmaster", the Spaniard arrived at Liverpool young and relatively unknown, developing under...