Liverpool Vs Wigan Athletic F.C. - January 2nd 2008

Anfield's first evening league match of the season is also Liverpool's first match of tonight. When players from sunnier climates are signed, often the question is posed, how will they cope with a wet Wednesday against poor opposition, in January. You could forgive the match going fans for not being excited about this fixture. Cold, wet and a match that could so easily disintigrate into Championship football is hardly a salivating prospect and it is also worth remembering that, whilst he has a big fat head, Steve Bruce has an excellent record against us - Head to Head, Bruce has 6 points over Benitez in previous meetings, which put him only behind Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho in head to heads. What we can expect of his Wigan side is a strong physical presence and a well organised defence, this is the sort of game where we will need the likes of Torres, Gerrard, Babel and Benayoun.

Centre Back again looks like being a problem area, with Hyypia still out. Hobbs or Arbeloa - it is a problem for Benitez and really the front line have to fire to ensure that it isn't a problem.

I expect a win today, but nothing pretty, the atmosphere should be reasonable, generally evening games are better than Saturdays, after all.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Wigan 0 - First Goalscorer: Torres.

Ian Pankhurst

Q&A: With Izaldo

Happy new year and welcome to the Every Other Satdee blog, this is a 100% independently run blog based on our passion, Liverpool Football Club and all the goings on around. In the past 12 months we have seen massive change in our club, but is it progress? The year started majestically, with the successful launch of the RTK campaign and the moving Truth Day protest against former Sun editor Kelvin McKenzie and his employment (continuing) at the BBC. Little did we know at the time that it would be one of three times that Liverpool fans protested in the year, something unprecedented at our club. The causes for the second and third protests however were not to do with the odious Thatcherite editor of a daily rag, but instead the failures (communicatory or otherwise) of the senior executives of Liverpool Football Club. In a year that saw the end of the Moores dynasty and the accession of Tom Hicks and George Gillet, we find the club a Paradox – strengthening on the field, complete with a run to the European Cup final and a strong 07/08 campaign but an increasingly unfunny circus act off the pitch. Since the fallout in late November between Rafa and Tom Hicks and the subsequent meeting, the Americans have been christened with various names – Tom and Jerry refers to the somewhat comical nature of their stewardship in some peoples eyes – broken promises and a downgraded stadium – add that to their boardroom ally Rick ‘Coco the Clown’ Parry and I’m sure you have a fine picture of our boardroom meetings. How did ‘Speedy’ Gonzalez not settle in?

The great news for Liverpool fans is that right now, the performances and players have kept fans entertained. Fernando Torres, especially at Anfield looks like a truly world class player, and the emergence of Alvaro Arbeloa as one of Europe’s best wing backs, and Javier Mascherano as a truly fearsome midfield enforcer have lit the touch paper at Anfield on several occasions, with big scores clocked up against Arsenal, Derby, Toulouse, Besiktas, Porto, Bolton and Portsmouth. Liverpool are now capable of playing some tremendously stylish football, with true footballers in most positions.

In this article The Student Room Football Forum poster Ian (Izaldo) answers questions from Liverpool Society Leader and friend Jack (DontBuyTheSun). Ian is an 18 year old Liverpool fan, an Accountancy student at the University of Liverpool and is scouse by blood if not by home location. Ian is a regular at the match and can usually be found on the Kop or in The Sandon pub beforehand. Every Other Satdee is pleased to present to you his Q&A

What where you expectations at the beginning of the season? Have they changed now?

I’m always cautious at the start of a season, all my life I’ve seen false dawns in the league – ever since we signed Karl-Heinz Reidle I’ve looked forward to our new players and have hoped for the best. After the Chelsea match things changed, I really believed we were capable of a serious title challenge. I was the same last year after going to Cardiff for the Charity Shield. Fast forward to today and I’m still hopeful, I feel we still have an outside chance of gaining the title. Were a few points off the pace, but this year, unlike recent years every side is capable of dropping points. We’ve seen with United this weekend, and others that points aren’t guaranteed, but we need to be picking up the points. I’m not expecting us to win, but I expect us to be in contention.

If Gillet and Hicks fail to wrap up the Mascherano deal, how would you kill them?

Ha-ha, defo they should be put in stocks outside St George’s hall, pelted with Tomato’s and then a short taxi ride north to meet their end at the hands of the Nogga Dogz. With Coco riding shotgun…

It’s a new year, and you’re Rafael Benitez. What’s your New Year’s resolution?

Get Montse a new watch around about May time.

Did Santa bring you what you expected over Christmas with regards to Points?

7 from a possible 9 is a perfectly acceptable tally in my opinion, given we had two tough opponents. Portsmouth last season was one of the worst matches of my life!

Who’s been our player of the season so far?

Its gorra be that Alvarer, lad

And who makes you think 'Oh ****' when his name is read out on the Tannoy?

That Ginger

Phil Easton him self, pitch-side winds me up too, why they couldn't have just left it to George is beyond me, but thats just me...

Favorite Liverpool FC moment this season? On or off the pitch.

Dirk Kuyt’s winner against the bluenoses, the Joy of that moment was unreal, couldn’t get tickets to the match so ended up at the First National in town (the next best thing) and it went off. Hardly any whiny blues either so everyone was going sick

Any gut feelings on the whole Hicks/Rafa Saga? Do you trust them?

Never look a gift horse in the mouth, that’s what me ma told me

I think as much as they are trying to spin it out, with several major sources alluding to a problem and Bascombe, Barrett and Reade all writing about it, there can’t be any smoke without fire. The only reason Bascombe broke the story is because Reade was on holiday when the Saturday edition of the mirror was printed, plus the Echo doesn’t have a Sunday edition, so Barrett wasn’t in a position to write. Not sure on the Mourinho rumours, but it seems logical.

If you were Rafa, who would you have in your best XI?

Reina
Finnan Carragher Agger Arbeloa
Gerrard Mascherano Alonso Kewell
Torres Kuyt

What has been your favorite match experience?

Without question the CL Semi of 2007 at Anfield, those nights cannot be created for any old game, as much as visiting no mark team’s fans would like to see that replicated for any league game (as would the day trippers, no doubt) it just can’t be. The intensity of the atmosphere was something to behold, where Anfield was literally a wall of noise.

What about the songs, which one do you like the best?

I love Every Other Satdee myself; it’s a song that has been rediscovered somewhat this season, because the 1892 block where many of the singing Season Ticket holders have relocated have been singing it. It’s a great tune, and quite odd amongst our back catalogue because it isn’t about where we have ‘taken’, it’s about the joy of going to the match. For those who don’t know it, the lyrics are:

Every Other Satdee It’s me half day off
And it’s off to the match I go
You’ll find me strolling down the Anfield Road
Me and me old pal Joe
We love to see the lasses with their red scarves on
We love to hear the Kopites roar
But I don’t have to tell you what we love the most
We love it when the Liverpool scooooooorre oh oh oh oh

We’ve won the English league about a thousand times
The UEFA was a simple do
We’ve played some exhibitions in the FA cup
We are the Wembley wizards too
But when we won the European Cup in Rome
Like we should’ve, years before
Boys a hundred thousand strong went and lined the streets
Just to see us bring it hoooooome oh oh oh ohme

Where do you like to drink before the Match

On a Euro Night, it’s usually somewhere in town before moving up to the ground at about 6 bells, Slater’s on ummm Slater Street is pretty cheap and decent. On a normal match day though, it’s the Sandon, easily the best pub in the immediate vicinity of the ground, always busy and always showing football. Watched the United vs. City game there before the Chelsea match, and the Arsenal vs. Spurs game before the Portsmouth match in there. Always a good place for a meet (Hello Nissay ;p)!

Which LFC Player would you most like to have a pint with?

It would have to be Xabi; he seems a good lad, bright, affable and an interesting person. He could bring his girlfriend over if he wanted to, and we could compare…

What is your typical Match Day clobber?

I save my replica shirts for the European nights, I always make a point of wearing them for the Euro matches, but otherwise it’s a crisp Lacoste polo, or Adidas Originals, Diesel or Maharishi T-Shirt with some Levi’s in dark blue stonewash, or Black with Adidas Gazelles. Have worn Vans slip on Classics to the game a few times too. If it is cold, then the black coat will come out as will the scarf. Walk on

Any fond memories of following the boys away?

The best times would be being in a train carriage with the LFC Youth on the way back from Blackburn, must have been the funniest train journey ever, with the bizzies everywhere and loads of songs going round. In Marseille airport meeting Ste G, Rafa, Carragher and Mascherano and then Rick Parry at the Airport scanner, when it bleeped and quick as a flash some fella said “No wonder you won’t play the numbers game Rick, that’s the lie detector test failed already!” All the fans around were splitting their sides, whilst Rafa, Carragher, Mascherano, Gerrard, Riise and Hyypia could be seen laughing at the joke.

Fernando Torres...You would...Wouldn't you?

It’s practically not gay. Of course.

Rick would even play The Numbers Game if the prize was Fernando

Go on then...Put your balls on the line and tell me what were going to win and where we’re going to finish in the league.

The Redmen will finish second this season.

Eastlands Awaits

Following Manchester United's shock defeat to West Ham and Arsenal's dip in form during the Christmas period, a Liverpool victory against Man City, who have won 9 and drawn 1 of their 10 games at Eastlands, could see them close the gap on the league leaders to 8 points with a game in hand.

However, they will face a tough task against Sven's rejuvenated men, who have the chance to overtake Liverpool and sit in a Champions League spot if they can claim a victory. Former Liverpool favourite Didi Hamann was rested for City's game against Blackburn and is expected to return to the line up as well as the influential Elano. Fortunately, we have the brilliance of Mascherano and Gerrard to counter anything they will try to do as well as make bursting runs through the middle of the pitch. The creativity of Yossi and Kewell on the wings will be an important factor as they try to supply the in form Fernando Torres who is our leading scorer with 15 goals.

Since the Rafalution, Liverpool has been much better in the second half of the season, usually stringing together long, unbeaten runs. A win today would be massive and ensure Liverpool go into the New Year full of confidence. Come on Liverpool!

Welcome...

Hello everyone, and welcome to Every Other Satdee- the spiritual home of LFC's bloggers.

We'll be adding our views on everything Liverpool from the never tiring rotation talk to the ever enthralling post match reviews. Feel free to add any of your thoughts and comments regarding LFC.


You can also share your news and views on the TSR Football Society Forum and chat with all of our contributors and other fans of the most successful team in England.