Yesterday I was visiting my mums and my sister turned up. After telling her about my trip to Anfield on Wednesday as a guest of Liverpool Football Club, she asked if I could do anything about the way the team are playing at the moment. I simply replied that I wish I could and then went on to explain that the players do not seem to understand the meaning of wearing the red shirt. Thinking about it for a moment, she suddenly said maybe I was right. My sister has only supported the team since our dad died - she said this was her way of remembering him, so has not experienced following the team since the beginning of the Shankly era. This led me to wondering if today's young supporters and players fully understand why the wearing and the passion behind the red shirt are so important.

Bill Shankly entered Anfield in December 1959 and immediately set about making changes to the team in the form of players and in the way they thought about their allegiance to the club. Bill did not bring in his own staff, but after talking to Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, learnt about the club and the changes began. Bill bought in players such as Ian St John, Ron Yeats and Ian Callaghan. Whilst reforming the club, Bill set in place certain principles that he expected every player to understand and follow. One of these was the placing of the now famous This is Anfield sign in the tunnel. It was put there to instil terror into the opposition by giving the impression that Anfield was a fortress. As the years went by as we all know this is what it became. It also became a symbol that each of the players would touch as they made their way down the tunnel and onto the pitch. He also instilled it into the players that they represented the City of Liverpool and its people. They were expected to go out every week and play their hearts knowing that they, the manager and the supporters were part of the same family. This became the norm, which is why today Liverpool has the best supporters in the world. We have always felt part of a great club - not just a supporter that sits in the stands week in and week out

The Liver Bird which has always featured on the team's shirts is a mythical bird that has over the centuries become the city's emblem. Although it had not really featured in the city for many years it was re- introduced when the Liver Building was erected and opened in 1911. On two of the towers are the mythical Liver Birds who stand proud and watch over the city and the River Mersey. I will admit to always going down to the Pier Head whenever I am in the city, looking up and saying hello to them. I have my own nickname for them. They have each been called Liverpool Lou since my granddaughter was born - it helps her recognise who they are and she is beginning to realise what they stand for. It is said that if they ever flew away then the city of Liverpool would be in trouble and cease to exist. If I remember rightly several years ago the Liver Building was cleaned and people were worried about what would happen if the Liver Birds did not like being bought back to their original colour. What is a Liver Bird, you may ask. I understand it is a cross between an Eagle and a Cormorant. It was first attached to the city by King John who used it in his seal when he granted the city of Liverpool its charter in 1207.

When Bill Shankly took over the club, the uniform was a red top with the Liver Bird in red on a white badge with white shorts. This was soon changed to a red top with red shorts and has remained the clubs home kit to this day although the styles have changed several times.

When a new player joined Liverpool Football Club, he was quickly educated in the passion for the club and after playing in front of a home crowd at Anfield realised what it meant to be a Liverpool player and carried on the great tradition - hence our results stayed good and we continued to win titles and trophies. Over the years home grown players have also been added to the team, which has helped keep the passion alive. Today we have players such as Steven Gerrard, born in Huyton and Jamie Carragher who was born in Bootle in the team, along with Stephen Darby and Jay Spearing who are working their way gradually into the first team. They play their hearts out each week for the city of Liverpool and yet our results are not as they should be.

This I believe has come about due to the influx of foreign players. Believe me I have nothing personally against this, providing they know what playing for a club like Liverpool means. I understand that on their arrival at Liverpool, they are all taught about the Hysel and Hillsborough disasters and what they mean to the club and the City. Would it not be a good idea if they were also given lessons on what Bill Shankly meant and did for the club, including the values that he instilled into his players? I honestly get the impression that most of them are there for the money at the end of the week and nothing else.

I know we are hit by injuries at the moment and it is hard to get eleven of the same players together for each game, but that should not make any difference. Each of the players must fight for their places and once on the pitch play their hearts out. It must be heartbreaking for Stevie and Jamie each week to go out on that pitch knowing that they and they alone carry the City of Liverpool in their hearts. I know Torres and Dirk Kuyt do their best and are getting there but we need the rest of the players to follow suit. When this happens, I think the results will improve and Liverpool Football Club will get back to where it belongs - in the top flight of the premiership.

As someone who classes herself as a Liverpudlian , although born in the South East, I do wonder if the Liver Birds are trying to teach the club a lesson. I am sure as legends come and go, they are as disgusted by the lack of respect for the badge on the club shirt as the majority of today's supporters appear to be. Maybe as my sister has suggested I should pay a visit to Mellwood, talk to the players and explain what a priviledge it is to play for such a great club. Hopefully then the passion would return, the Liver Birds would smile and the results would improve.

The Liver Bird is entrenched deeply into my heart so I am sure it could become that way with our foreign players.

THE vast majority of Liverpool fans are still right behind Rafa Benitez and rightly so.

There is enough instability at the club with the owners and the debts, and the last thing we need is to be looking for a new manager.

One win in nine games isn't great but you don't turn into a bad manager overnight. Injuries have taken their toll and we all knew how light the squad was before the season started.

We have to call on the likes of Degen, Dossena, Voronin and Babel - hit and miss players who simply aren't good enough.

When we got injuries it was always going to be a big problem. We can carry one or two, but when you are without four or five of your best 13 players it becomes very hard.

I couldn't fault the effort against Birmingham but it was another disappointing night. We have leaked so many goals and that's the reason we're struggling.

You can argue all you want about zonal marking but there seems to be a lack of belief when it comes to dealing with set-pieces.

We don't attack the ball, there's no aggression and it is costing us dearly.

It happened on the opening day at Spurs and it's still happening - we haven't learned our lesson.

The only way to sort it out is on the training ground. When I was a player if we leaked bad goals we would spend ages in training defending as a unit. The coaches would ensure you didn't enjoy it to ensure it didn't happen again.

We played pretty well on Monday but if you can't defend you aren't going to win games.

David Ngog came in for a lot of stick for the dive he took to win the penalty against Birmingham.

I've slaughtered Drogba and Ronaldo for diving in the past and I can't condone what Ngog did.

As a striker you've got to be canny. When a challenge comes in like that you have to let the defender take your legs and get your penalty - that's the way I did it.

Ngog saw the tackle coming and tried to get out of the way of it but you can't go over a defender's legs when you haven't been touched.

I'm sure Rafa will have had a quiet word and hopefully Ngog has learned his lesson.

Ireland can overcome France in World Cup play-offs thanks to astute Giovanni Trapattoni

I'LL be at Croke Park in Dublin tonight for Ireland's World Cup play-off against France and I can't wait for it.

The French may have more quality than us but they aren't the team they were a few years ago.

What the Irish have is a tremendous team ethic and a manager in Giovanni Trapattoni who is probably the most knowledgeable in the world.

He's canny and tactically astute and if anyone knows how to get past France then Trapattoni will do.

We came through a tough qualifying campaign unbeaten and there is a belief we can reach South Africa next summer.

The priority tonight is that we shut France out.

Even if it finishes 0-0 I'd still fancy our chances of getting through in Paris on Wednesday.

Sadly, however, that won't stop David N'Gog from being labelled a cheat something that is going to be very hard for him to shake off. You can sense that the next time he goes down, the referee will think twice before giving a decision in his favour: that suspicion is part of human nature.

Hopefully all of this won't affect N'Gog's confidence. The penalty quickly erased the memories of what happened just moments before when he sprinted past two Birmingham defenders in a move that was lifted straight out of Fernando Torres' manual (remember his goal against Marseilles?). It is that move which forced Lee Carsley into his lunge which - and this has been overlooked as well - got nowhere near the ball and could have seriously injured the player hadn't he jumped.

Indeed, N'Gog's performance has was one of the few bright sparks from that game and the season so far. His goal against Birmingham involved terrific skill - how else can hitting the ball with such power and precision before it hits the ground be described? - but his overall play has improved beyond recognition. There is an added sense of maturity around the way that he plays and he knows what is doing as well as what he should be doing.

Of course, confidence plays a critical role. That goal against Manchester United has fuelled the belief that he is good enough to play for Liverpool. That is not something which the player himself ever doubted but now even the fans are starting to believe it and that belief is something that he will feed on during games.

Naturally there are still aspects of his game that need improving. His control isn't the best, for instance, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts when things aren't going as well as they are at the moment. Above all, he needs experience to enable him to exploit certain instances during the game. Which probably means learning to drag his feet a little bit better when there is a tackle on him in the penatly box.

Paul has his own blog called A Liverpool Thing. You can also follow him on twitter.

Arriving home from work last night, I quickly learnt that Liverpool was bathed in a thick fog. Thinking back to last season I wondered if the game would be cancelled at the last minute. Citytalk Sport was now on the air so I listened intently, although fog was swirling around in the area, Anfield did not seem too badly affected, so it was game on.

I started to think about what was a must win game for Liverpool, had I put my foot in it earlier at work after telling a fellow supporter that I did not think we would win the game. I have reached the stage where I was when Gerard Houiller was in his last season, I had a terrible habit of second guessing the result and nine times out of ten getting it right.

The match this evening was against Birmingham City and should have been a walk over but with so many senior players missing the alarm bells were beginning to ring. I listened intently and an hour from kick of f the team was announced. It was, Reiner, Johnson, Insua, Skrtel, Agger, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt (Captain) Benayoun, Riera and Ngog. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Gerrard, Kyriakos, Babel, Spearing and Darby. I smiled when the commentator said playfully, that an awful lot of Liverpool fans would be happy as Voronin was nowhere to be found and I must admit I was one of them.

The match finally started with Liverpool kicking off and defending the kop end. The lads started very well with good passing play. Although the match had not been on for long I began to wonder if perhaps this was the game that would set the team on the road to rediscovering their form. There seemed to be a lot more heart and effort from each one of the players and things were going well. Birmingham finally managed to win the ball and Lee Bowyer tried for goal but thankfully missed. Birmingham very quickly relinquished the ball and Liverpool appeared to walking all over them, Benayoun had a chance but missed. The lads were by now crowding into the goal area with Benayoun getting the ball which he passed to Mascherano, who finally passed it to Ngog for a shot at goal that was saved by Hunt. The ball now back in play was quickly picked up by Johnson who had an amazing run before passing it to Ngog who hit the back of the net and Liverpool were 1-0 up.

Although the game was only half through the first half, Birmingham made their first substitution of the evening, which to be honest had little effect on the game, which Liverpool now seemed to be in complete control off. Johnson had found a hole in the Birmingham defence and was running rings around them. Then shock horror it happened again, yet another mistake by our lads and a young man called Benitez levelled the score line. It was now 1-1 and for the next ten to fifteen minutes Liverpool seemed to lose their nerve. My mind was now in a whirl and I thought Oh no, here we go again, something I think the Anfield crowd also felt as it had gone quiet. Play was continuing with both teams now fighting for the ball and then suddenly Riera went down. Rafa in a moment of madness when picking the team decided that Riera was fit to play. What happens he has now aggravated his hamstring and will be out for at least a month - just what we didn't need at this point in time! His replacement was Stevie G which seemed to lift the mood on the pitch and in the stadium immediately. Suddenly the kop was singing and urging the lads on but then shock horror, Jerome had a wonderful kick and Birmingham were 2-1 up as the half time whistle went.

The fifteen minutes passed quickly and both teams were soon back on the pitch and in the thick of the action. Liverpool appeared to be all over Birmingham although the score line told a different story. They were pushing forward all the time and having chance after chance at the goal, but as luck would have it, the back of the net just could not be found. Stevie G as always was doing his best and urging the team on. The play continued with Stevie letting loose a wonderful shot which unfortunately hit the post. I will admit to fighting back the tears at this point because I honestly did not know what more the team could do to try and score. Fate stepped in and Ngog did something, I believe out of pure desperation. He went in for a tackle with Carsley and I hate to say somehow managed to a get penalty. I am no expert, but you could tell
Immediately that it was a dive. Although Birmingham protested, the ref would not budge and Stevie G lined up on the spot and did what he does best. The score now stood at 2-2. Ngog was eventually booked for his stupidity and Carsley for his protesting.

This is seemed to wake Liverpool up a little and they began to bombard the penalty area but the third goal would still not come. Suddenly Benayoun, who had played extremely well pulled up. It appears that he too has now damaged his hamstring and will be out for several weeks. Babel came on as his replacement and I must admit seemed to play with a little more purpose but still no goals. With ten minutes to go, Aquilani was finally introduced to the Anfield crowd, replacing Lucas, who had also had a great game. I watched with interest and I must admit although he was only on for ten minutes, I saw a lot of promise in the way he handled and kicked the ball. I just hope that he can remain injury free. The match finally came to a close. We had gained a draw, although it still leaves a lot of unanswered questions hanging over Anfield.

The main problem is still our defence. They just don't seem to be able to stop the opposition. I know Jamie was suspended last night, but that should not have made an iota of difference. The players on the Anfield pitch are supposed to be world class and ready for anything. The amount of injuries that the team seems to be sustaining at the moment makes me wonder if the fitness regimes that the players undertake are designed in the right way. I know that different things can cause the injuries but these players are supposed to be at such a high fitness level that their bodies can cope with a lot. It seems that as soon as a muscle is stretched to a certain degree the hamstring goes or in the case of Stevie G and Torres a problem develops elsewhere.

Why we are not performing as we should be, I honestly don't know. At the end of last season, we showed so much promise, but now it is as though a different team is on the pitch altogether. I know we have lost two players, but if Rafa had bought wisely then they should have been replaced immediately with players of the same calibre. This has not happened and we now being vilified in the press because the team just does not have the desire to play and wear the red shirt of Liverpool.

Because of this last night, a Liverpool player cheated to ensure that the score line was respectable. This is not acceptable - If you play for Liverpool you go out onto the pitch and play your heart out. If the score goes against you, you await the next game and hope that fate will be good to you.

We are having a terrible run of results at the moment and I hope with all my heart that things will turn around. I want to have tears of joy running down my cheeks and not tears of frustration because my beloved team seems to have lost its way. I certainly do not want to have to explain to people why a team as good as Liverpool Football Club resorts to cheating - That is not the Liverpool way.

In my last blog I said there were 5 players in the current Liverpool squad who would command a place in the squads of Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal. The five I highlighted were Reina, Agger, Aquilani, Gerrard and Torres. It was my mistake, as has been pointed out by many of the responses to the last blog, that I should have included Johnson and Mascherano in this list.

Point taken. I do apologize for not including Johnson in that list. I think he would walk into any team in the world let alone the three I just mentioned. But as for Mascherano, well I think his case is a little more complex. I think as solely a defensive midfielder Mascherano is the best in the world. His closing of players and space is second to none, and if you see him going into a tackle nine times out of ten he will win the ball (still get called for a foul but thats the ref's fault and not his). However, when I said that he could not get into the other big fours' squad I mean that right now he would either be surplus to requirements or not the right fit.

Of course that does not mean Mascherano is a bad player. After all Barca would not have wanted him is if he was. All I am saying is he is not the right player for any of the other big four teams. He is perfect for us though and I would loathe to loose him. I think he gives the freedom for Gerrard to play in that hole.

So now that we have taken care of those two let's move onto the other players. One of the comments basically listed the whole team as being good enough. I think here we get more into the realm of subjectivity than anything else. One of the comments said Kuyt would get into the other teams. Ok so who would you take out? Arshavin/Walcott? J. Cole/Essien? I would not. As much as I like Deadly Dirk I would pick Arshavin or J. Cole over him to play on the right and so would most of the other Liverpool fans.

As for the younger players you have to think how many have come up through the ranks to be regulars in the team. I can only think of Insua, N'gog and Lucas. The latter only became a regular in the first XI this year when Xabi Alonso departed. Again you have to ask if that is enough? Personally I don't think so. But obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

But in conclusion let me once again say that I don't want Rafa to leave but I also strongly disagree with those people who say that he is beyond reproach. I don't think any manager is. I heard Alen Hansen once say that it's really easy for managers to be criticized and that's why he didn't want to become a manager. Fair enough. But Benitez chose this career and he has to take the adulation with the criticism and so do his fans and critics.