Perils Of Liverpool FC: Has Woy Won Us Over? Or Is It Too Late?

Last weekend I found myself on a packed platform waiting for a train to leave Liverpool. Unfortunately, I was not watching the game but listening intently to it on an awful radio feature on my phone. After a fantastic night out in my favourite city, I didn’t expect much from a match against the current champions; and convincing league leaders. However, around 10 minutes in I found myself surrounded by bemused faces of fellow passengers. Forgetting where I was, my spontaneous eruption, of course in response to Torres’ first goal, had not impressed others on the platform. Physiologically, I struggled to remain pessimistic which has become my new tactic when watching/listening to Liverpool FC. I figured maybe if I don’t expect them to win the opposite will occur, for once, in my favour. Rather predictably I lost signal for most of the journey and again looked like a total idiot trying desperately to manoeuvre my phone in such a way as to hear what the hell was going on!

            Of course I was delighted when I finally found out we had managed to hold on. Two goals from Fernando Torres! I couldn’t help but think that this is it. Torres is back! The only way is up! Roy why did I ever doubt you my friend?

Roll forward a few days and I’m watching the Manchester derby with some friends, confident of a win at Wigan. I didn’t even check the score until I got home; when the disappointment I have come accustomed to returned. A draw? We were a goal up! It’s Wigan! But I accepted it. Sometimes a draw is unavoidable.

Ok so today is Saturday and well I’m feeling more at home in my current state of optimism toward my beloved Reds. Another away loss: 2-0 at Stoke. What makes it worse is if we had won, we’d be within 3 points of Man City and that beautiful top 4 place. With further hind sight, had we beaten Wigan and Stoke we would be within a single point of where we belong. How glorious that would be.

            In the space of 6 days Woy Hodgson has gone, in my books, from the right man for the job to a weal worry (ok I’ll drop that pun!). The lack of results away from home he endured at Fulham has followed him; not something Liverpool fans are used to or should have to suffer. For all his criticisms Rafa could at least get the lads playing well wherever we were. Results like our past two are bound to raise other questions of Hodgson which have yet to be answered convincingly. For example, transfers. The biggest blunder to me is Christian Poulsen. He’s absolutely dire. What on earth possessed Roy?  Konchesky? The greatest compliment I could pay him is: He’s average...just. Now Roy is beginning to criticize individuals. First it was Agger, probably our best centre back after Carra, and now it’s Johnson. Not a great idea, in my opinion, to be rocking an already fragile boat. Overwhelmingly, however, it has not escaped my notice how little Roy has stamped on this ‘new Liverpool’ side. If anything, the quality of football is worse; occasional moments of inspiration from two men aside. I can honestly say I would accept loosing allot better, were we playing good football at the time.

            What can Liverpool fans expect next? The January transfer window is around the corner, but it is extremely unclear what the new owner’s intentions are regarding purchases. As ever, the New Year window is never a great time to buy new players and we need allot of them! So I expect another disappointing six months of poor football from the reds; with maybe two new faces. Is Roy going to last? This is the million dollar question. Roy after all was thrown in at the deep end, with a poor, disillusioned squad belonging to a debt ridden club. The same statement will circulate forums and the media ‘This is a rebuilding project, it takes time.’ Whilst this is true, I am now sick of waiting. That is all Liverpool fans ever do. Wait for a new stadium. Wait for new owners. Wait longer for new owners. Wait for Liverpool to ‘rebuild.’

Guess we’ll all just have to sit tight. For how long? Who knows?