Feel like running and dancing for joy...

I'm in love with 11 (alright 14) wonderful boys!! (And their manager!)

What a great night - up there with some of the best this club has had, and we've had more than our fair share. Made up beyond belief and if nothing else happens between now and May, I refuse to let any moaning, complaining, "why can't Rafa do this in the league" saying tw*t ruin it.

Tonight was oh so special - enjoy it, people.


More soon.

****** on a bike...

Can we not have one big match - and it always seems to be before a Champions League match - without some supposed drama going on behind the scenes? Do people really feel the need to stir things up - are they that afraid of us?

They'd better be.

COME ON YOU REDMEN!!! The Bernabeu awaits.

Harrumph...

So Chelsea beat Villa and it's all "they're not out of it yet" now from the pundits...?

...Meanwhile we are still closer to the top and it's all "unconvincing, no threats except Torres and Gerrard" (nevermind we've been without one or the other for most of the season), blah de feckin blah. We've been pretty much written off all over.

Where is the love, people? I ask you, where is the love? That's fine - it will make that hoisted V-sign/middle finger that much sweeter when the league is finally won, be it this year or whenever. Go right tf.

* * * * *

I hung out with my buddy Lee from the supporters' club last night - much fun at B.B. King's on 42nd Street as Wings (yes, Wings!) soundalike band Band on the Run performed a great set and there was much fist-pumping from me, I will tell you what. By all means check them out if they're back around these parts and you're a Macca fanatic like myself. I was in heaven and didn't care how much of a [your expletive here] I looked.

The opener was a dude named Dave Jay who does an act called "johnpaulgeorgeringo" where he does schtick impersonating each of the Fabs, performs some of his own Beatlesque songs (as well as covers) and answers questions from the audience in character. Not something I'd necessarily see again and as Lee joked, it would be great to see him rehearse his act. A pyschologist's wet dream.

Anyway, the act went down ok - some were concerned that he was in fact the promised band and freaked. Others like myself were bemused and said ok, let's see where this goes. There was a last group of - oh, for lack of a better word - wankers! Clearly wanted to pull Dave up publicly for doing something they thought was just too weird or just didn't approve of really. Well, I have to say that while Dave's act was not something I'd make a point of catching again, he jumped up in my estimation by leaps and bounds in the way he dealt with his hecklers. This was worthy of the Fabs themselves:

Prat: "Hey Ringo - what'd you do with all the money your mother gave you for singing lessons?"

Dave as Ringo: "I spent it on your mother."

Feminist that I am, I should probably say tsk tsk to that but ahhhh.....I loved it. And a big "right on" for Dave. Even if it's not your bag, you've got to give someone credit for having the stones to do an act like that, so while I was thinking "ooh this seems well dodgy" when he first started, I felt major respect when his act was over. Especially if you're quick-witted enough to verbally slap down obnoxious Noo Yawkers that deftly...what's not to love?! Reminds me of someone else I've a whole lot of respect for that I've already written about on these pages. Rock on, Dave Jay.

Too much beer, tequila and god knows consumed by the time the evening was over but a great night in what - I have to remind myself often as I curse it out - really is a great city. Useless fecker today as a result but got the laundry done, made a lovely gumbo for dinner and have written this bit of nonsense. Not a bad day despite the hangover. Oh except for the bloody Mancs ...

Roll on tomorrow - come on you Reds.

A wee break...

Yes, I know let way too much time go by since my last post but I tell you what - I was so annoyed after that last minute loss to the Blueshite and the most excellent (I don't give a f*** what anyone says) Portsmouth game, I didn't know what to say. And you know how I feel about this "international friendly" nonsense. I think I needed the break and with the three-day weekend with no Liverpool football - as much as that drove me crazy - to calm down. Gain a little perspective, give the liver a reprieve (cough) and regroup for Act III.

'Cause that's where we are, folks! A third of the season remains - we are at "the business end of things" as they say. 13 games to go, 39 points up for grabs. Five points behind the Mancs can seem daunting but that's a hell of a lot of points still available for *me* to say it's over. Not my way and won't do it until the numbers say otherwise.

Now is the time to see what the team is made of - what we as supporters are made of. Now more than ever is when all hands must be on deck, rowing in the same direction - never mind if you disagree with where we're going or how we're getting there. Plenty of time for those discussions after May 24th (and hopefully, if things go the way we'd like, we'll have those talks/arguments with the biggest hangover ever).

I can't wait - though I sense a run coming on Tums and Pepto-Bismol over the next three months.

Oooooooh baby!!!!

Nothing else to say right now ... more tomorrow (if I can be arsed).

Thank you, lovelies!

Control....

This is a story about control, my control
Control of what I say, control of what I do
And this time I'm gonna do it my way
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do

I'm in control, I'm in control
Don't make me lose it

"Oh no, she di'n't", I hear you saying. But yes, I most surely did - I really am quoting lyrics from a Janet Jackson song on an LFC blog...

Control - possession of which is a stimulant like no other, the lack of (and desire for) which can drive one to madness. To wit - this quote from our manager after yesterday's draw against Wigan:

"The second half was crazy and when it is crazy you cannot control things."

People have been questioning Benitez's sanity - who and what is he raving at now? What on earth was he doing regarding those substitutions? And what was Lucas doing out there at all? Doesn't Benitez care - doesn't he know we're finally SOOOOOOOO close after sooooo many years ... DAMN HIM!!

It's been quite the recurring theme over the last few weeks, don't you think? And the multiple facets of it encapsulated in my previous not-so-subtly-pisstaking paragraph. Starting with Rafa's "rant" at the red-faced sot down the East Lancs (over Fergie's seemingly unquestioned control over refs and the FA), rejection of his new contract a week later (over lack of control in the transfer market), fans pulling their hair out ready to sack the man (over lack of control over results/subs because of course we all know better than he does), fans ready to stick Lucas up on a pitchfork (more of same but also because the soft lad couldn't control himself after harrying back 60+ yards and made the unmistakeable sin of conceding a penalty - how dare he? Liverpool's never ever ever conceded a penalty - ever)....

Oh and there was also that little matter of Steven's bit of hot water - which kicked this all off in a way as Benitez was trying divert attention away from the player's troubles - for allegedly being near/involved in a ruckus because the group wanted control over the venue's music collection.

I've been sitting on this a few days - I too would like more control; over my time to write these posts, over my job future, over Liverpool winning the league. But unfortunately, some of those things are out of my hands. And when things get away from you - or you have no say in them at all, particularly when you feel like you should - it's impossible not to feel frustrated and want to have a pop at someone. (Anyone spending more than five minutes on the streets of New York or in the subway must know what that feels like.)

We cannot control everything though it never stops us from wanting to. Do people *really* think no time was devoted in training to dealing with Everton's set pieces (and / or Cahill in particular)? Surely no one missed how thrilled Benitez looked after Lescott scored last Sunday...especially with Xabi standing right beside little Timmy waving hi. Of course the manager is responsible for getting his message through to the lads but he has no control over whether those teachings are excuted properly in every instance and that's just got to kill him. Same as it killed the team when Lucas conceded the penalty for a stupid challenge, same as it killed Lucas when Skrtel lost the ball in the midfield and he busted a gut to cover as there wasn't a teammate around.

We supporters then drive ourselves and everyone else crazy because we of course are completely powerless to do anything about any of this. We yell, we swear, some kick the cat/dog/car/etc. because of our frustration when things don't go the way we think they should (however that's determined). Some take it to extremes and think every game should be like Pro Evo Soccer - we always win and no mistakes are ever made (at least not in any way that's actually punished - how nice is that?).

Where am I going with all this? Well there's no tidy summary this time really. Just that while there's nothing wrong in and of itself with wanting control; there is in fact a need for it as we'd otherwise have complete anarchy. It breeds confidence, it makes for success. However, if we don't recognize that it's not possible in every situation to obtain or maintain - that we cannot control each and every facet of evey single thing as much as we'd like to try - one is doomed to fail. The ones who succeed are the ones who just pick themselves up and keep plugging along, hopefully minimizing the pain/damage caused the next time things don't go to plan. You continue looking to improve; you continue to support - you certainly don't throw in the towel or give up because you can't have it your way.

Because it will most certainly always - at some point - not go to plan once again.

Just have a drink (or joint, if you prefer!), chill for a minute and repeat those wise words:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference

And let's just beat the Laaandaaan Bluesh*te on Sunday.

¡Cojones de acera!

In case I wasn't already in love with our manager, I will drop my normally calm, cool exterior to pronounce that Rafael Benitez has officially pushed me to the point of Beatlesque frenzy...

It's been a very long time that I've felt so giddy over something that had nothing to do with a Liverpool result or some bit of music in my earcans.

"Rant"? Please. "Tirade"? Gimme a break. All our gaffer has done is publicly state the exact sentiments supporters, players, other managers and even referees have said in private. Are there still people out there who doubt how much this man is the embodiment of one Bill Shankly writ large for the 21st century? I know there are. And you know what?

Fuck 'em.



While I've read people worrying about playing Everton twice within the span of a week, wringing their hands over Steven's legal troubles (important as he no doubt is, I thought we resented that "one/two-man team" tag?), and always wondering when the shoe is going to drop, thank god we've got someone in charge who is seemingly made of sterner stuff than most of the rest of us.

We've asked him to show some guts and now that he has, some people are complaining?? All of a sudden we're too cocky, too cavalier, not thinking about the consequences...what the heck has happened?

All I know is that Rafa went into the hospital to have kidney stones removed - and he came out with a bigger set of stones on display. And by god I wish some supporters would get a pair themselves.

* * * * *

Two points dropped, one point gained...hard to say as we were poor today against Stoke. Can't excuse it and the timing couldn't have been worse with some tough games against Everton and Chelsea to come, as well as once again we fail to take maximum points on a weekend our rivals face off against each other - I have honestly lost track of when we've made it count. Keane not coming off the bench when we still had a sub available is a headscratcher no doubt. One could say we weren't creating enough (and looking suspect defensively) so why bother but that route one pass that Torres deftly flicked on for Gerrard might have been enough indication that Robbie deserved a go, out of sorts or not. I mean if Babel could get a run...

Ah well, time to regroup and get ready for a killer couple of weeks. Would I prefer an easier, less stressful path to the title - who wouldn't? But it is about the ride as much as the finish. Shake it off and let's get back on track.

And though it really shouldn't need saying (but some seem to continually forget): let's support our boys and our manager. Between Rafa's comments yesterday, the performance today and (heaven forbid) a win by either spawny side tomorrow, you just know the knives are sharpened and ready to go for our jugular. Time to stand tall and stand firm - long way to go yet.