Oh You Beauty match preview: As with most of his stuff, a thorough and in-depth preview for tomorrow by nate, who is apparently allergic to starting proper nouns with a capital letter.

Torres Yes? Torres No?: Of course he’s tired, but at this point he’s our best option up top. Unless the Robbie Keane thing was a big hoax. You know how funny Rafa is and the British media always makes everything so dramatic…who’s with me?

Jilted former attacker #1 watch: The accountant, likely stressed for the upcoming tax season, takes the time to single out Crouch as the one to stop. So hopefully he’ll shut him down before he files his P50.

Jilted former attacker (that’s not so former considering he’s on loan but still has the stones to speak freely) #2 watch: Oldish link but still fun to read considering it ends with “They can’t say anything to me really.” Any bets on his sneaking into the baggage compartment for the return trip to Liverpool?

Jilted former attacker #3 watch: Okay we get it, he wasn’t exactly the apple of Rafa’s eye, Harry liked him all along, shock and surprise for all, blah blah blah. Good luck, hope you find your goal-scoring touch the rest of the year except 24 May.

Irrelevant link for the day: At this point you’ve probably seen this, but some classic lines from this poor kid. Reveling in the misery of a stoned 7 year-old, what a life I lead.

And finally, my hopes for the squad tomorrow?
Reina
Arbeloa-Carragher-Hyypia-Aurelio
Benayoun-Alonso-Mascherano-Riera
Babel
Torres

Largely normal back line, Hyypia to deal with Crouch, wouldn’t mind seeing Babel in support of Torres to create some space and see what he’s got. Will this happen? No. But what a wild idea. I need to calm down.

Lastly, congrats to our Utes’ squad, who beat Chelsea 1-0 last night and booked their place in the quarterfinals of the FA Youth Cup, where they’ll meet Bolton.

Be back later today or tomorrow, maybe a live blog for a game that probably doesn’t deserve it.

On another note, Pennant reportedly priced himself out of a move to Real Madrid. Pity though. He was quite a promising youngster back then. All things said, I’d prefer seeing Aaron Lennon on our wing. What do you think?

1. I do have a crystal ball =X
2. Daniel Agger would make a good winger or midfielder.
3. Our opponents should be careful the next time they score against us first.
4. Once again, we have won the hard way, but we have what it takes to be serious title contender.
5. Keane has yet to find the back of the net in the league. In fact, he was frustrating to watch today, always out of positions, had less goal attempts than Kuyt and did not convert the chances he had in front of goal.
6. Can’t quite discount CSD’s “favorite player”; he saved our arses today.
7. Stevie G did not have a good game. Jermaine Pennant and Nabil El Zhar should start more often.
8. Tackling our no 14, might get you a red card. (Valencia, Zabaleta Cahill, Vidic…and maybe Terry next week?)
9. Amr Zaki is a badass and he proved that he alone can get the job done up front. Says a lot about how unimportant Heskey can be…so please Rafa, don’t even think about it!
10. Yay I have 2 free lunches *hint hint

Man of the match: Fernando Torres for turning up to watch the game Yes he actually scores and is the inspiration behind today’s comeback, Dirk Kuyt *clap clap clap
This is the first time he has scored in three successive games for the Reds, and yay Riera scored too!

To my mate, Idz, hope you didn’t have a heart attack watching another 3-2 game. Peace

1st half highlights


2nd half highlights

This crystal ball I have isn’t worth a shit. It did get the win right, though. This one makes it four successive league wins in a row with the boys making their next stop at San Siro on Tuesday to face Inter Milan for the second leg of the Champions League round where they are ahead on aggregate 2-0.

Jermaine Pennant had a very fortunate deflection at 43′. Soon after, Torres and Gerrard netted a goal each that made Rafa able to rest them early. The three defender formation seems to be doing the trick and will more than likely be seen against on Tuesday. Kevin Keegan seems resigned to the fact that his team is awful and there’s nothing he’s going to be able to do about it until the summer.

Oh, and for any Chelsea fans reading: I told you they were the MIGHTY Barnsley.

Pepe Reina is away with Spain, and after last month’s appearance in the friendly with Greece, there is a possibility he may start for the Spaniards. Spain are away to Iceland today and host Latvia on Wednesday. Those two games should bring Spain six points, but you never know, as they have messed it up in the past. I hope they do, as my very own Northern Ireland sit a point ahead of the Spanish today, and any slip-ups would be very helpful.
Our back-up goalkeepers, Charles Itandje and David Martin, were either too old for the U-21s (Itandje) or out of contention for now (Martin). Scott Carson (loaned out to Aston Villa) is however in the England squad for the home games against Israel and Russia. He was a dark horse to take the jersey for the matches, until McLaren restored his blind faith in Paul Robinson.

Steve Finnan was to be on duty with Ireland until he got injured. Jamie Carragher is injured, but Steve McLaren appears to have recognised his decision to quit international football. Daniel Agger’s talent has not gone unnoticed (ed-uhuh, naturally), and he is set to be the Danes’ number one defender for the match away to Sweden today. However, confidence is low in the Danish camp, after the 4-0 loss to Ireland last month. John Arne Riise, as usual, is in the Norwegian squad and should play for them today in Chisinau and next week against Greece in Oslo. Four points from those games against Moldova and Greece would do the Norwegians nicely. Alvaro Arbeloa has been left out of the Spain squad, good news for us, I can’t see why with the form he’s in. Sami Hyypia is also a certain starter for Finland’s matches against Serbia and Poland.

Harry Kewell still ain’t fit enough for the Aussie squad. Steven Gerrard is going to threaten serious harm to his toe by playing Israel today. This could put him out of the Liverpool side for weeks. However, we can always hope that this story is true and that he won’t need painkillers. Yossi Benayoun will play against England for Israel today. Xabi Alonso has been called up for Spain, and Aragones has stated he may be in line for a rare start against Iceland. Jermaine Pennant, whilst he should be in the England squad (albeit not playing as I have said), he isn’t and so gains valuable resting time. Ryan Babel may well start Holland’s vital games at home to Bulgaria and away to Albania on the back of his excellent form. Unfortunately, Javier Mascherano has had to travel thousands of miles for a friendly against Australia. This ludicrous match means that he is unlikely to play next weekend for the Reds, even if the Tuesday kick-off is slightly more advantageous for the European players. Sebastien Leto has thankfully been left out. Lucas Leiva has also been left out of the Brazil squad, despite his appearance in the squad for last month’s Algeria friendly. This is good for us, as we don’t really want him to suffer jetlag as a result of the trip to the USA.

Fernando Torres has shook off a knee problem and should play for Spain. Peter Crouch is banned for the Israel game, but should start against Russia on Wednesday in place of former Red Emile Heskey. Dirk Kuyt may play for Holland, but with the return of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Babel’s fine form and some fitness concerns, that is not definite. Andriy Voronin is likely to start up front for Ukraine against Scotland and the Faroe Islands as their top striker.

And I’d like to comment first on his post from earlier today. Well-written, admittedly, but I sorta disagree with what he was saying. Pennant was only decent against Derby because it was Derby. Sami Hyypia could have hit quality crosses from the left-wing against that defence. And for England? After one game on the left? Granted – he should be in the squad, and his pace makes him a valuable asset for the Reds – as well as his vast improvement this season, but his crossing isn’t consistently good enough from the wing to be better than the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips. He may be fast, but isn’t as fast as SWP or Aaron Lennon.

Frankly, I wouldn’t have him in my Liverpool team. Possibly against the likes of Derby, whose defenders’ legs have seen many a better day, but for teams where brains are required rather than pace, Benayoun or Babel are both much better choices (Babel even has pace too). England’s Left Side? Joe Cole. He’s brilliant, never mind his lack of playing time thus far. No other questions. And as backup? Stuart Downing. Yes, he’s naturally left-sided. Yes, he’s the teacher’s pet. But yes, he is rather good actually.

But interesting points though. This is what the site is all about – debate and comment. I rather like Babel and Benayoun myself, mixed with a little of Stevie G and the Monster Masch – sounds like a rather nice midfield cocktail to me. But Rafa doesn’t like Benayoun too much, even if he was immense against Toulouse last week. Oh, and we’ve got Sissoko, Alonso, Kewell and Pennant too. I don’t seriously believe that Leiva or Leto will be regularly used this season (despite the €15 million outlay), but both look like crackers for the future.

Let us not get ahead of ourselves though. Top of the league. Fantastic, but every encounter should be treated as tricky. In the next two months, we have Portsmouth away (great atmosphere at Fratton), Everton away (tense derby), Blackburn away (always difficult at Ewood Park) Tottenham at home (good side, but possibly the easiest cos of Anfield and their lack of form) and Arsenal at home (…its Arsenal). If we pick up thirteen points (/15) from the five, as well as full points from the other encounters (Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham) – thats championship form. I will certainly have no doubts we can do it, even if now it feels to me that something has to pop up and ruin it. Like possibly Steven Gerrard’s toe falling off tomorrow.

Interestingly, Benayoun is captaining Israel tomorrow evening. He gives us his own view on the Gerrard jab, deeming him the world’s best player and says that the Israelis have little fear in going to Wembley.

Carra, oh how we love you. He says that he is desperate for the Reds to break their title duck. As are all of us.

More good news for the Reds. Stevie Finnan is set to be ruled out because of injury for Ireland’s games this week. Now he can stay in Liverpool for recuperation and should now be able to get fit and ready for Portsmouth.

“You’re ugly, but you’ll win in the end”. Just like that annoying kid in your Maths class, well thats how I’ve paraphrased Bernd Schuster’s statement. Bit early to be worried about us, is it not?

See ya on Saturday.

It was a masterstroke. Pennant terrorised Derby, skinning his man on the outside at will or cutting inside whenever the mood struck him. Sure, it was only Derby but it was an utterly dominant performance from a man who, for the first time, is looking like reaching the potential he showed as an Arsenal youngster.

His name has been mentioned before as a possible England squad member but, with England desperate for pace, creativity and direction on the left side of mid-field, the criminal who once played with an ankle tag, could be the answer to a nation’s prayers.

Ever since Sven-Goran Eriksson took charge, and probably a little before, England has had a large hole on the left side of midfield. Various players have come and gone. Some were square-pegs awkwardly thrust into round holes (in Frank Lampard’s case, it was a fat peg stuck in an embarrassingly svelte hole); some were eager to play anywhere as long as they played (I’m looking at you Danny Murphy and Joe Cole); some, like Steven Gerrard, were so versatile managers knew they would be an embarrassment and some were simply the manager’s class favourites. Stuart Downing, put your hand down now.

But Pennant looked a class above Derby and, with all due respect to Israel, could be exactly what an unimaginative England needs against tough, uncompromising opposition who have nothing to lose against a prized scalp.

Fortunately for Liverpool, McLaren is just too incompetent to realise it and that may mean one of Liverpool’s key players will be rested and fresh when it comes to the business end of the season.

Liverpool Football Club has always meant more to her fans than the England team but for once, England could be doing us a favour.

P.S. I liked Carra’s coat. Very Back to the Future.

As for the rest of the squad, joining Xabi in the middle will probably be Mascherano. Though I would not be surprised to see Sissoko or even Lucas. Torres’ effort alone should be able to beat Derby, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rafa do a little experimentation. On the left, I have to think he’ll go with Babel, but, if he’s not transferred by tonight, we might see Harry Kewell. There’s been no official announcement nor report about Kewell’s current state of fitness, but it was around this time all along that he’s suppose to make his return. It would be a huge boost if he did. Also I don’t think we’ll see Benayoun start here despite his inspiring performance on Tuesday, mainly because he played the full ninety on Tuesday and we’ll need him down the road so there’s no need to wear him out. As for possibly starting Riise on the left, it could happen, but I think Rafa is going to have to start being more cautious about how he uses our defenders. Especially until Carra gets back.

On the backline joining Finnan, should be Hyypia and Agger in the middle and Arbeloa on the left. We could possibly see Insua on the left, though I think it’ll really matter who starts at left-mid. If Kewell or Riise start there, it’s somewhat of a possibility. I know Aurelio is due back in around a month, but we really need to start thinking about working in our future starters like Insua and Darby particularly when playing against lesser clubs at Anfield. We can get away with mistakes in these situations.

So here’s who I think Rafa will play:
Reina
Arbeloa
Agger
Hyypia
Finnan
Babel (or Kewell, I hope)
Xabi
Mascherano
Pennant
Voronin
Torres

Bench:
Itandje
Riise
Sissoko
Leiva
Kuyt