Actually, the U-turn on the ground move is the only fortunate thing to happen since their arrival. Only Liverpool can place themselves in a position where they can be saddled on a debt for something they didn't buy. With this sort of leadership it's no wonder potential investors are waiting for the fire sale. What's Michael Knighton doing these days? At least his touch is better than Dirk's.
Once that had died down the Robbie Keane story came to the fore. No place in the eighteen for him this time and Rafa only 'thinks' he has a future. It's hard to take sides on this. The simple fact is that Robbie Keane stank on Monday night so a starting place may have been generous but Rafa's feeble excuse that we four strikers including Ngog and Babel so we didn't need him is incredibly insulting. The papers say that it's humiliating for Robbie to be left out at the expense of a kid like Ngog but what about Babel? He even made it to the pitch. At least Keane runs from time to time, albeit head first into blind alleys. I don't see how he can win and his future looks on the lower sides of low. He plays badly on Monday - dropped. He scores doubles against West Brom and Bolton - dropped. I hope he comes good but it looks like the curse of the number seven shirt has struck again.
The Blues got their draw again thanks to a deflected goal and dogged defending. It's time to start the victory coach, Mr. Moyes. As usual he was full of praise for his snidey team (Pienaar was the disgrace this time after Cahill, booked early, couldn't take his custom 'chief gobshite' accolade) and much was made of how little his squad cost compared to ours etc. I suppose Koldrup was free and James Beattie's at Madrid now. Some think that they'll have to open up and attack for the replay but if there was ever a team built for lasting out to penalties it's them. If you can get a ticket for the replay bring a book. A long one.
Our run doesn't look good. Wigan away, Chelsea, Everton, Portsmouth. A Wigan mate tells me that they're a soft touch for struggling players and team so get your money on a Keane hatrick with Dossena brace in the last ten minutes. It works both ways though. There's a fair chance that Tony Adams (he doesn't think, he 'ponders') will be heading for the pundit sofas by the time we get there and New Manager Syndrome will be in effect. They can lose to Swansea one day and beat us a month later. Whatever happens, these are the weeks that build champions. For others it spells trouble, particularly if you're small and Irish or Texan and stupid.
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