A look back on 2007...

The year is coming to a close.  So what's the highlights and the lowlights of the year?

Well you could say that we got to a Champions League final, our second in 3 seasons.  Finished 3rd in the League on goal difference to Arsenal which is not a bad achievement for progress.

We knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League in the Semi's at Anfield again 

We signed Alvaro Arbeloa that probably no one had heard of before and has become an absolute class act in my eyes.  Move over Riise!

Rafa gave the 'spine' of the team new contracts, well the majority of them anyway.  Which was promising.

We've had new owners which at first was a breath of fresh air, throwing their American muscle around telling us we would be great again - mind you that worked like a one night stand.  Telling us what we wanted to hear then getting into bed with us knowing they had gained our trust, then dissapearing the next morning and then they were no where to be seen.

New Stadium plans which could be boosted up to 75+ thousand seater.  Now the plans are being changed because the American Owners couldn't afford it anyway.   

We signed Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel, Yossi Benayoun, Andriy Voronin, & Lucas spending around £40 Million.  Hardly any of the money came from the owners anyway, the papers, sports pundits forget we had outgoing transfers.

Had a good start to the season that we had craved for years.  Now we stand on the end of December 4th and just about in contention for a title shot.

The papers went anti Liverpool again, this time trying to shift out the best Manager we have had in years.  Claiming our new owners is getting tired of Rafa's so called 'attitude' because our crafty owners are clutching to their wallets and not giving Rafa a penny for the Jan Transfer window.  Now a new claim that the owners are looking at giving Rafa the boot and bringing in Klinsmann?   

We struggled in the Champions League groups early on by getting beat by Marseille at home and Besiktas away.  The replay matches we gave them a F***ing good hiding including Porto who we drew against, but beat them at home.  And now we have booked our place in the Knockout stages against Inter Milan.

Liverpool have a new hero in Fernando Torres.  He's netted 15 already this season and has been the best signing we have had for a long time.


So what do we expect/want for 2008?

I want a new Centre forward (David Villa) :
A new Centre Back
A new Winger
And a new Wing Back, depending on if Riise is still here.

I also want the Americans to wise up or sell their shares at the club.  They are not wrecking this club without a fight.

A long winning streak, as long as we didn't drop any more points.

Premiership Title, Champions League & The FA Cup thank you very much.  Hey I can dream you know

Hopefully I can sit here and review this topic at the same time next year thinking.  Yeah, well.  We did just that.

Have a safe New Years everyone.  Oh and...

YNWA 

 

Premiership Title, Champions League & The FA Cup thank you very much.  Hey I can dream you know

Dreams do come true you know Court, and this could be a possibility, a good possibility !! 

Good post there Court.  While we made a decent unbeaten start to the season there was far too many draws and we are probably a tad off the blistering pace of United and Arsenal this season.  I don't think any of us expected them to have the kind of points haul they have. 

The year started fairly well with the investment plans, plans for the new stadium and the rhetoric from the new Chairmen and the CHampions League final - despite the result we gave a much better account of ourselves on the pitch than in Istanbul - alas it wasn't to be.

Signing so many players up on long term contracts in the summer was a great sign as was the acquisition of Torress...but since then...

Fallings out with Rafa - not good
Worries over the new stadium - not good
Needing to have 'protests' to support Rafa - not good
Early Champions League form was worrying - although it was pulled out the bag in true Liverpool style
And again failure to get three points against ANY of the other top three (all at Anfield) was a major disappointment, as was losing the Carling Cup QF.

The second half of the year has been a bit of a disappointment for me.  I'm not normally negative but I am not sure if we are going to see silverware at the end of the year, and I worry that Rafa may not be the manager next season.  He asked to be judged on this years league form, and unless we really start upping our game then this may have been him signing his own death warrant.

Here's to a better 2008.

Good posts everyone!

It's been a good year really!

Champions League Final!

The new Stadium plans! (We're getting there slowly!)

Finishing 3rd on goal difference!

Amazing signings in the summer!

Better start to the new campaign!

And the bad points?

Anti-Liverpool journalism! It's the new thing in and they've all been on the bandwagon!

The Rafa fall outs! They weren't as bad as they were painted and all is well now!

Too many draws and a couple of dissapointing defeats!

Other than those though, 2007 has been a good'un!

Heres to a good 2008! Rafa to keep his job! A better run of form in the league! A nice trip to Wembley, and who knows.... number 19 in the cabinet? We say we can dream now but we'll be pissing ourselves laughing in May if we do it!

Pretty much everything I would look back on has been mentioned.

I'd just like to add to the take over. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest chapters in our history and will shape a lot of things for the future years. It's certainly overshadowed a lot of things for me. Whilst it was in motion I couldn't help but worry in case a lot of promises were made and not kept. I think the new stadium plans are an example to justify my worries. And I regret that I'm finding myself looking back in a shade of anger at the whole thing while trying to be positive. Hopefully that will change. Here's to more positive and strong communication for this coming year.

As for the pitch matters. In general I think the way we play has improved over the last year which is very important, plus most of the summer signings have fitted in quite well. If we can add a couple of quality players to the mix next year then I believe we will be on the march to the league title.

Good post, Court.

2007 lowlights:
Owners/manager hustle-bustle
Referee fukcing it up for us

Highlights:
Anfield, January 20, 2007: Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack do their new freekick version. Good work!
The Crouch hattrick against Arsenal in april.
Reaching the Ch.League final after the last nervewracking semi against Chelsea.
Getting back on track in this seasons Ch. League group stage, scoring 16 goals in 3 games!

What I want? I want us above the scum and Arsenal in the league in may. Inotherwords, I want us to win.

Nobody's mentioned beating the blue sh*te 

Good post Court I agree with everything you say, Tom and George had better wise up quickly that Liverpool Football Club Supporters value our club and its history and will not stand by and let it get ruined.They  will get the fight of their lives if they dont carry out the promises they made when they allegedly bought the club with their own money.

What do we want for 2008? to sign Mascherano on a perminent deal,sell momo get to cl final again,win the league and fa cup,Torres to finish with about 30 goals this season,beat Everton and Man Utd.

What do we want for 2008?  Be more ruthless against teams that we should hammer

I hope we get 9 points against Arsenal, United and Chelsea away from home.

In 2007

Champions league final defeat (still hurts)
Good Start at the beginning (Sweet)
Too many drawn games (sour)
Champions League must-win matches (wow!)
Loss to Man U (Painful)
Winning by 4 goals average(nice)
Loss to Reading (ref shd have been suspended)

In 2008

Batter Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U (A need)
Close up the Gap (A must)
Another Champions League Final (Will be lovely)
Win the Premiership (yeah!!!!)
Win the Champions League (yeah!!!!)
Win the FA Cup (Yeah!!!!)
Still have Rafa Benitez for the next season (Winner)

Happy New year Everyone!