One of the best things about football as a sport is its incomparable ability to create drama. I would love to challenge Hollywood’s finest to try and script the fiction to beat the truth we’ve seen this season. Manchester City shifting from title losers to title winners in a matter of 60 seconds at their home ground in the final moments of their season. Chelsea’s “anti-football” tactics surpassing superior attacking sides like Benfica, Barcelona and Bayern Munich to culminate in their winning the Champions League. And Liverpool, 3 times winners over Chelsea this season in 2 competitions, parting ways with the man who led them to those wins.

Even more ironic. Had Liverpool finished 4th as the target was set, it wouldn’t have been enough anyway. Chelsea’s victory ensures it. So 3rd and above was the real target to qualify for the Champions League – meaning Liverpool had to be a team that, for 2 thirds of the season at least, was challenging for the title.

I’m not the first to lament the departure of our legendary manager – I won’t be the last. And while it can be a source of total drivel, Twitter was (is) an interesting place this past week with so many contrasting emotions in response to Kenny’s sacking. The brave few suggested it was bound to happen. Many others were outraged, some even going as far to write open letters directed to Ian Ayre, John Henry and other senior figures (what little are left) in the Anfield hierarchy.

And make no mistake, this is a defining moment for FSG. From the moment they took over, they seemed to do a lot of things Liverpool fans were happy with. They got rid of Hodgson. They replaced him with Kenny. They allowed extensive transfer spending. They engaged with fans. So far so good.

But now, the buffer is gone. FSG now face the results of some, as yet, potentially wise or rash decisions. And there is no romance of 2 cup finals, or a Scottish-born trophy magnet to mask them. They are exposed to that dangerous animal in all its varieties – the Liverpool fan (no offence meant by that statement, of course!).

So in other words – time to find out who our new owners really are.

For the record – I am sad to see Kenny go, but it’s clear that his romantic motivational skills during his caretaker spell just didn’t extend to his tactical application in the league this season. I don’t dispute the value of a trophy and 2 cup finals, and I’ll retain my ‘old school’ thinking that Liverpool is about winning trophies, but there are severe shortcomings at this club, and Kenny sadly may just not fit the profile of the man we need to change that. In any case, his contributions as a player, manager and humanitarian in the 80’s are stuff of legend, and Manchester United have him to thank for having such a stiff target against which to motivate themselves.

Nonetheless, the focus now shifts to FSG. Which is very compelling.

So as we stand now – we’ve had some drama. No director of football, communications (I have heard the tweets about Chang, but I’m unsure of the truthfulness), no manager. No stadium plan as well.

Dark days? Perhaps. But perhaps not.

There’s a theory I have here, and it naturally assumes that FSG are the right owners, and that they are going to work prudently to take the club forward. Obviously if they aren’t, that’s another issue, never mind another blog! But here’s the theory – Liverpool was in dire need to break some age old structures in order to build new ones from scratch.

Liverpool aren’t a club that are geared to succeed in modern football, because modern football is different now. Few want to hear it or believe it, but it’s the truth. My previous blog skirted the unthinkable idea that a FA Cup final defeat could be a blessing in disguise, and I think that is still true – because if Ian Ayre can suggest Kenny would have been sacked regardless of a cup win, imagine how much harder it would have been to accomplish had we earned another FA Cup in our cabinet.

We have to accept the dynamics of the game have changed. A Carling Cup victory and an FA Cup final are great, but clearly some of Liverpool’s illustrious opponents in those competitions (City, United, Arsenal, etc) had priorities elsewhere. The money is too important nowadays. In many ways, the departure of Torres is a perfect illustration of this. We can chirp all we want – his move was vindicated. Within 18 months of leaving, he’s played in two consecutive Champions League semi-finals, won a final and won two more trophies than he did at Liverpool in all his time there. Money talks, and if you want to compete with the ‘plastic’ clubs, you have to at least meet them in the same playground.

It’s not impossible to do that either. If it was, then Manchester United, lacking their captain and best defender, and a far less talented squad, wouldn’t have equalled the rich half of their own City on points in the table, losing by mere goal difference.

It’s not just about Kenny’s or Comolli’s departure. The closing events of the season highlight potential deficiencies in FSG’s initial strategy with their ‘moneyball’ thinking, not to mention some of Liverpool’s old school structures or lacking leadership (the mishandling of the racism issue comes to mind).

It ironically gives me comfort, because if FSG is thinking seriously about top level structure and making changes, then it implies that they care about addressing the top level structure for first time in ages. This should be important to Liverpool, because the clubs are no longer just about the football anymore – you cannot divorce the business from the stuff on the pitch.

All the recent successful clubs in Europe have some common threads in terms of “larger-than-life” managers who want as much control of everything as possible (Ferguson, Mourinho come to mind) or powerful demands driven at presidential level downwards (say what you want about Abramovich or Mansour, but there was a point to their spending – lavish or otherwise). It also involves (of course)… money!

There may not be an open top bus parade for 3rd or 4th place, but especially in a very competitive league like England, not being in the Champions League is a big deal. And for Liverpool, whose revenues (as an example) have only grown 99% between 2002/3 – 2010/11 (the European elite have grown in excess of 150% upwards), it’s an even bigger deal.

Suppose Ian Ayre’s recent interview is to be believed, and the top level structure changes and Comolli’s old responsibilities do split – it poses interesting opportunities for scouting, transfer negotiations, and the overall footballing philosophy of the club, something sorely lacking consistent direction over the past 20 years.

I, for one, want to give FSG the benefit of the doubt, simply because the philosophy of Liverpool is in dire need of redefinition. Many of us can quote Shankly and what he believed Liverpool should be about – but those philosophies haven’t been respected in the manner that Liverpool have wanted since the end of Kenny’s first spell as manager. So if FSG are thinking of changing things to drive results, and have illustrated a ruthlessness to do so because they are impatient for those results, then I’m certainly interested in what their plans are, because that makes them far more interested owners than we’ve had in a while.

That, of course, then leads to the speculation about the manager, and specifically who the next Liverpool boss will be.

Again, if Ian Ayre is to be believed, the desired idea for the future manager is to focus purely on the team, results, and only the final say on signings. This already rules out several managers who like to have wider control (think people like Wenger, Mourinho, etc). Liverpool’s steady deterioration as a club suggests that only one of these types of managers would be a realistically obtainable one anyway (Rafael Benitez). So unless Rafa is happy to fit into FSG’s structures, he won’t be back.

What do we want from a new manager? More than the ability to attract the best players – because Liverpool’s current resources and lack of Champions League football limit that anyway – is the ability to get the best out of the players available, even if less talented. We need a strong motivator, a strong personality, but tactically astute, intelligent and above all – driven by results. Someone who knows the competitive nature of the Premier League and the culture of its football. And someone who knows the players on the continent well, or can at least engage with them – because it’s clear from our recent spending that any level of British based talent is likely to be overpriced. So most of our transfer targets should be non-British.

I don’t think it’s realistic to expect the likes of Guardiola, Capello or Klopp. I genuinely think Pep wants a break, Capello doesn’t appear to be the right culture fit, and Klopp has unfinished business at Dortmund.

That leaves the other rumoured candidates, like Andre Vilas Boas (AVB), Roberto Martinez, Didier Deschamps. If not permanently appointed by Chelsea, one wonders if even Roberto Di Matteo could be in the frame.

Given the task ahead, I would support the appointment of either AVB or Martinez, although I would lean to the latter, because of some concerns the peculiar manner in which AVB lost the Chelsea dressing room earlier this season.

Martinez may not have had the challenge of a big club yet, but what he brings potentially is tactical application and the ability to turn lower quality players into over-achievers. Not to mention the ability to adapt tactically as opposed to pushing the same plan A over and over again (see Zonal Marking’s article on his switch to 3-4-3 ). Yes, he hasn’t had the chance at a big club – but as usual, you have to start somewhere, and maybe this is our unearthing “Alex Ferguson / Arsene Wenger / Jose Mourinho” moment. At least, that’s what I hope.

Whoever is appointed – whether the manager, scouting, or heading up the whole footballing side of things, one thing is clear. Changes are ahead. And given the severity of Liverpool’s expectations and the challenging place from which they commence this task, I would rather offer FSG a touch of sympathy. Sacking Dalglish may not have been popular – but their bravery could yet prove the right decision, and if it does, then we may look back on the events this week as a key turning point in the future success of the club.

Guest article from Football Deep

A picture tells a thousand words

If John Henry is as serious about Liverpool being successful as we want him to be, he needs to be stark raving mad by now.During yesterday’s match, I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend who asked what happened to the Liverpool that ended last season (2010-11). You remember, the one admirably improved under the caretaking of Dalglish?  The one that played quick, snappy passes, most of them on the ground, with relentless accuracy and finesse, producing fine wins like the 5-2 demolition against Fulham?

I responded by suggesting the team was different – that team that ended the season well included a far more experienced and capable midfield of Maxi, Lucas and Meireles. Strange that.

No question – the absence of Lucas is significant.  It surprises me all the more that Liverpool managed to produce the performances they did in the Carling Cup against Manchester City, the FA Cup against Manchester United, and that league game against Arsenal, without him. His impact to this team can be likened to the manner in which Yaya Toure has become the rock upon which City’s title challenge has been constructed.  Rather stupid then, that Liverpool didn’t recruit adequately to cover for him, especially in the January transfer window.

Yet experience was on the bench – especially Maxi, who was integral in the victories over Chelsea earlier in the season. Liverpool instead chose to ignore this.

In my opinion, Spearing and Henderson were out of their depth yesterday. Yes, Henderson showed attacking shades towards the end, but by then, Liverpool had been galvanised by Carroll’s energy and it’s clear that belief is not going to be inspired by Henderson, much less Spearing.

I’m not keen to crucify either player though.  Liverpool have been crying out for academy talent to come through, and I think Spearing is a capable squad player, who in other lesser important fixtures, can shine in his own way. Henderson is a victim of a transfer fee he didn’t choose, and being played beyond his years.  They will learn and develop – but they shouldn’t be doing so at the cost of a cup final. And both certainly put up a major effort.

I also don’t excuse the ineffectiveness of some of the experienced players, like Gerrard, who has been inconsistent, and Reina, who seems to have forgotten how to make those magnificent saves he is known for. Enrique has also become very inconsistent, making me think a fullback combination of Kelly and Johnson may have been better.

But if Liverpool was poorly prepared and configured on the pitch, blame starts and ends where the entire season should – with the manager, Kenny Dalglish.

My feelings on Kenny are ones of deep respect and gratitude for the club.  I wasn’t even born yet when Kenny was delivering trophies as a player for the club, but his efforts for the 96 alone justify enough for me to say he has deserved another shot at the job. And there is no doubt his influence made a difference in the latter half of last season.

But this season, mistakes have been made aplenty, and sadly he may well pay for it with his job, especially if FSG illustrates the ruthlessness they did with Comolli and other staff last month.

Yesterday’s tactics were inept. Playing Luis Suarez as a lone striker with ambitious through balls (high or low) may work to catch defences like those of Norwich off guard, and produce some great results, but they won’t work against a side in form that managed to survive three hours against the side who plays the finest football on the planet.  If Lionel Messi can be kept quiet, with the quality service he’s used to delivering, you can bet that Suarez will be even less effective while chasing high balls against Ivanovic and Terry who are better equipped to deal with nonsense passes like that anyway.

I too expected much more of the players yesterday.  And for some strange reason, Liverpool only seemed to register after the 2^nd goal that “Hey!  We’re in a final!  Shouldn’t we play a little better than this?!?” The team started far too slowly, and build-up play felt at times like revving an engine with the handbrake applied.  But that was as much tactical as it was motivational.

Carroll should have started – simple as that. I’ve seen many times that Andy’s presence takes defenders off Suarez, allowing the Uruguayan to work his magic, and that is enough to justify his inclusion. Add Andy’s endearing display of energy and blatant passion to get Liverpool back in the game as the cherry on top that would have won him many admirers (a pity, because despite that, I still think Liverpool need another #9 – one that at least produces the goals to match the effort, although that performance was one of Carroll’s best in a Liverpool shirt).

Perhaps Andy wasn’t needed against Norwich, but he was definitely needed against Chelsea, 55 minutes earlier than his eventual entry in the game, especially if Suarez was going to play so high up the pitch.  So tactically, again – incorrect.

The warning signs were there surely. It was a cup final, against a form side that has lost twice under their caretaker manager. It took a superior side in Manchester City, and two wonder strikes from Papiss Cisse to give Di Matteo his only 2 defeats as Chelsea boss.  Outside of that, they are difficult to beat.  Chelsea is back to the direct, counter-attacking football that won them titles in the past decade.  It ironically reminds of the brief Hiddink “era” (ironically, also as caretaker) where an over-confident Liverpool got caught by pacy counter attacks time and time again in a thrilling, but frustrating Champions League quarterfinal tie in 2009. Liverpool did the league double over Scolari’s Chelsea that season. Historical tactical lessons not observed or remembered…

The line-up was wrong. If you’re going to isolate a front man, start with Carroll. Don’t have 2 inexperienced midfielders trying to work the ball off Mikel, Lampard and Mata. Don’t leave sluggish defenders too far up the pitch, or at least keep a couple of defenders in deep lying positions to pick up the breaks. That inexperience and tactical ineptitude cost Liverpool. By the time Carroll’s entry increased the tempo, Chelsea was exactly where it wanted to be – re-enacting its performances against the Spanish giants, albeit less convincingly, defending a two goal lead.

Of course, there will be arguments about the disallowed goal – but while I wish desperately that controversy had avoided rearing its head in this game (especially after the dodgy call for Chelsea’s 2^nd goal in their semi-final), to be honest, it was immaterial.  Chelsea was far and away the better team for the first 60 minutes.  For Liverpool to only wake up by then and realise they were playing a cup final against a serious team in the last half an hour, was far too late to make any difference.

So the question now finally comes – what next?  How do Liverpool, players, staff and fans alike, move on from this?

That’s where I wonder if yesterday’s defeat does not hold a blessing in disguise, to impart some much needed urgency upon the club.  I have to think that the emotions of a victory would have been quite dangerous, if not distracting from problems that must be solved.

The pre-match discussions put into context the debates about the desired yardstick for Liverpool’s season. Is it league position? Is it trophies? Is it Champions League qualification? Is it all three?

I maintain – Liverpool is about trophies – that’s why ultimately yesterday hurts a little more because it was a rich opportunity lost to continue the winning tradition.

But I also believe that that shouldn’t be used to paper over the cracks. Had we won, would the club still consider how they were to drive a potentially significant summer? I for one, sincerely hope that the club leverages this disappointment to do exactly that – but it seemed the messages from the players and Dalglish differed slightly from the big picture. 2 trophies would have been a success, but that wouldn’t have defined the season as successful. Progressive, but not successful.

Trophies are important, they always will be, but Liverpool has to be a club that challenges on ALL fronts.  And if key financial issues linked to the stadium are foreseen to be likely to exist for a few years, then it means Liverpool have to learn from clubs like Newcastle and punch well above their weight class (that’s not to be disrespectful to Newcastle, but I’m sure most Geordies wouldn’t have expected Champions League qualification this season, and that is still a possibility).

A victory would have played into the pre-match propaganda that the league campaign was merely extended periods of bad luck – a false perception that offers nothing but barriers to progress.

Arsenal improved their squad dramatically after that 8-2 defeat to Manchester United. No trophies – but they’re close to achieving their targets, and impressively so, although a draw with Norwich could end up costing them an automatic Champions League place.  If the Red Devils end the season trophy-less (which in itself is unheard of), there surely will be a response to improve the squad far beyond recalling old retired players.

Wake up calls. Liverpool has to respond in kind, simple as that.

Season 2011-12 has been a disappointment then.  Yes, a trophy in the bag, but if Dalglish does keep his job, hopefully he recognises a few things. Liverpool’s squad still lacks depth in certain positions (defensive midfield, attacking midfield – for the latter, read Aquilani, hopefully).  Serious competition is needed in goal, at left back, centre back, and central midfield.  World class talent is needed on the flanks and up front (only Suarez meets this requirement – no-one else, although Carroll is proving he’s not such a bad player after all).

Dalglish also needs to recognise that tactically, the team needs to improve significantly.  Not only when to apply certain lineups / tactics, as the FA Cup final illustrated, but to address the problems over the course of the season.  30+ shots against the woodwork isn’t unlucky. It’s poor finishing, poor training or ineffective chance-creation.  Not to mention a shocker of a conversion rate, and far too few goals from set-pieces (and we get plenty of those!).

Perhaps then, this is a defeat to offer important reflection.  I doubt we would have reflected as we need to, had we won.  The poor league campaign would have been dismissed by 2 trophies, but Liverpool’s squad quality and display of tactical ineptitude and application throughout the season, needs to be addressed. If John Henry is the kind of owner we want him to be, then the manager – Dalglish or otherwise – has some serious work to do.

Guest article from Football Deep

I myself am perplexed – and stubbornly trying to believe in Kenny and his squad, but I’m sure I’m not the first Liverpool fan who’s questioned the Anfield legend this season. There is a touch of irony about this – after all, it was Liverpool fans that (vehemently) made it clear they would have preferred Kenny to Woy a season ago from the start. Liverpool fans have got what they wanted… or so we thought, right? FSG were merely responding to the yearnings of fans that placed their trust in the last man to take us to the promised land of first place.

But perhaps FSG, in retrospect, showed naiveté – and this is not the only decision that I feel they’re lacking direction on.  Another sobering thought. It’s 18 MONTHS since October 2010, when FSG completed “the epic swindle” and purchased Liverpool Football Club from Hicks and Gillett. I emphasise the timeline, because it’s a long time to own a club and not outwardly deal with the elephant in its room.

I am, of course, talking about a new stadium. Anfield. Stanley Park. All three.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the logistical issues that may exist, from relevant council or local government approvals, complex deals to arrange building contractors, and all sorts of related things I know little about. To be honest, I’m sure most Liverpool fans will share my attitude that these issues, while important – pale in comparison to the significance of the delay, or lack of action.

Here’s the facts I care about:

A quick glance at Liverpool’s total revenues (check the Deloitte Money League reports for sources) illustrate a bleak picture. Liverpool’s ability to generate footballing revenue – whether fairly compared or not to clubs with large sources of readily available cash (wearing blue, mostly) – are dwarfed dramatically by England’s elite (and yes, I don’t like to describe Manchester United that way).  The graph above compared against other European powerhouses like Barcelona and Real Madrid makes for a worse image.

Why is this important? Simple. Footballing revenue ultimately empowers a club to purchase, employ, retain, reward (etc) its most critical asset – players. And in revenue terms, Liverpool doesn’t stack up well at all.  What is revealing about the graph above is not only where Liverpool ranks, it’s also the extensive growth of Manchester United, the growth of Spurs and City, and the plateau of Arsenal and Chelsea. Only Liverpool is heading in the wrong direction.

Clubs have 3 core sources of revenue – matchday (good old bums on seats), broadcasting (TV coverage – and typically, the more matches, and the more significant the matches, the more money), and lastly commercial (everything from shirt sales to sponsorship deals). 

So let’s consider a comparison – Liverpool to their original traditional rivals Arsenal and Manchester United (an appropriate comparison I feel, in the context that while Chelsea and Manchester City possess financial strength as well, much of it comes from some very wealthy owners who can afford to make extensive injections to progress those clubs very quickly in a short time – and let’s be honest, Hicks & Gillett were, and to a lesser extent, FSG, are not those types of owners).

Have a look at the next couple of graphs, comparing total, commercial, matchday and broadcasting revenues for the old “Big Three”:

I draw a few conclusions. A current gap of nearly £150 million in available financial muscle between us and our largest rivals isn’t going to help us beat them on the pitch in trophy counts.  The gap speaks to – for example – the ability to attract quality players. Liverpool lost out in signing Phil Jones and Ashley Young (as examples) in the summer.  It could have been about Champions League football, or wages, or both.

Both Liverpool and Manchester United have doubled (just about) their commercial revenue between 2005-2011. Liverpool’s recent sponsorship deals with Standard Chartered (£20 million per year) and Warrior Sports (£25 million per year) are comparable to Manchester United’s deals with Aon (£20 million per year) and Nike (£23 million per year).

It’s when you start looking at matchday revenue, and consequently broadcasting revenue, that Liverpool’s finances show critical cracks.  In 2006/07, Arsenal moved to the Emirates and 22,000 extra seats effectively permanently doubled their matchday revenue (check the table below for seating capacities in England).  2012/13 will be Manchester United’s fifth year of enjoying £100 million from their stadium alone.  Liverpool’s matchday revenue has yet to break the £50 million mark in its recent history.  So while Anfield may be a special place – it’s going to take a great deal more singers in the Kop to bring the money that would be music to the club’s ears.

The interesting one is broadcasting revenue – ultimately driven by performance on the pitch to some extent.  English clubs don’t negotiate their own TV revenue deals (unlike Spain, for example), so Liverpool’s “big club” reputation (they haven’t performed like it) counts little in negotiating Premier League money. The major issue here is the consistent early exits in domestic cup competitions and the sabbatical from the Champions League.  Consider the performance of these clubs in their domestic and European competitions:

The results speak for themselves; Manchester United have displayed an uncanny consistency of getting into the final 4 in most competitions in recent years.  Arsenal seems to be a perennial quarterfinalist, while Liverpool is less consistent.  If you compare these performances to the broadcasting revenue, there are a couple of interesting observations. The broadcasting revenue gap between Liverpool and Arsenal is negligible, until 2011 – the first full season without the Champions League. Manchester United and Arsenal only failed to reach at least the quarter-finals across all 3 competitions on 17 occasions (combined) – Liverpool have failed to do so 14 times in the same period.

You also need to consider how this impacts matchday revenues as well, because of matches played at home in these competitions.  The Champions League especially, with its two-legged format, offers a double whammy of revenue, because a home game is always involved.

So it tells us something we already know – even though this season’s domestic cup success will (ironically) minimise the gap in Champions League TV revenue loss, it won’t be made up by much. Matchday revenues will also be undermined by our smaller stadium – although bizarrely, we played one home game in our Carling Cup run, and 4 home games in our FA Cup run.

Tellingly – Arsenal may have fewer trophies in the cabinet, but they have the right idea about the importance of the top 4. Manchester United’s broadcasting revenue this season will collapse dramatically due to early exits across the board (but they’ve had a decade to build up some fat to absorb this).

In fact, Manchester United’s performance, stadium size and commercial revenues across all fronts have configured the club’s revenues well enough to compete financially even if certain teams in blue do have access to other, “slicker”, sources. Clearly they’ve won the trophies anyway.

So conclusion time.  It’s a simple equation: bigger stadium = more money. More money = better players. Better players = better performance.  Better performance = more money.  More money = better players. And so on!

But it all starts with a stadium.

Which brings us to FSG again. 18 MONTHS. Given the reasons above – is it reasonable to expect that a year and a half has passed since they took ownership with no progress on the stadium issue? Have we all been taken in by the tepid romance of Kenny’s reign that we’ve failed to notice the huge problem that Anfield currently represents? What is FSG’s plan and intention? If they haven’t done anything yet – when will they do something? If this isn’t a priority, why isn’t it?

Because it stands to reason that I certainly don’t expect more £100 million transfer kitties for Kenny to spend. If the “traitors” amongst us are to be believed and we need to oust Kenny in favour of managers of Mourinho or Guardiola’s calibre, I ask you – do they not spend money with their clubs? With our goalscoring problem, wouldn’t it be nice to go after bench warmers like Dzeko or Defoe, or loaned superstars like Adebayor? I doubt we can afford them, let alone go after better.

Again – this is a long term road back to the top – and it starts with a stadium. Anfield. Stanley Park. Whatever it may be.

It begs the question – Hicks & Gillett didn’t give Rafa the full transfer kitty he wanted – but he got to spend money, no question.  FSG have done the same.

Do we have another set of overpromising owners?

John Henry.  Your move…

This is a guest article from Football in Deep Thought

Our friends over at Liverpooltees.com, are aiming to make as much money as possible for the Hillsborough Family Support Group to enable them to continue their excellent work in fighting for Justice – a cause close to many Liverpool fans. We’re asking fans to buy a charity t-shirt for £12, of which over £4 will go directly to HFSG (So, our target of 1,250 t-shirts = £5k!). If you can help, please do, because it’s a great cause.

It only took two thirds of the Premier League season but Kenny Dalglish finally seems to have recognized the error of his ways in continuing to play Charlie Adam, opting to drop him for the second match running whilst also showing none of the previous sentiment he had shown to Jordan Henderson, who was also resigned to a place on the bench. I can tolerate a lot of things, but prolonged blind faith in underperforming players is not one of them. As the saying goes, though, “better late than never” and if we’ll be putting out more sides like this then the decisions that have us in seventh place may slowly start to be forgotten.

It appears at long last we no longer have to put up with a Charlie Adam free kick hitting the first man. No longer do we have to put up with a woeful shot from distance or a skyed penalty effort, and no longer do we have to put up with the needless fouls he constantly gives away.

We’d almost become used to the sight of him raising a hand in apology, as if it was expected rather than a rare occurrence. If seeing Adam on the bench for the second match running was a good feeling, seeing Maxi’s name on the team sheet and Jordan Henderson parked alongside the Scotsman was almost surreal. I had to pinch myself to believe it.

It’s an unwritten rule than when Maxi Rodriguez plays, Suarez plays well, and it paid dividends yesterday afternoon. The Uruguayan didn’t have to try and do it all on his own and was always looking for his Argentine compatriot in attack. His goal was a beautiful example of one touch football that just wouldn’t be possible if it had been say, Henderson on the other end of the pass, who would have most likely reacted too slowly, tried an aimless cross or attempted to shoot himself. But alas, we were treated to a South American tiki-taka delight, the kind Liverpool supporters expect to see. It truly was a wondrous bit of football.

Almost all of Liverpool’s best attacks came down the left hand side and indeed, it was interesting to see them develop on both sides, the Argentine, Spanish combination on the left, compared to the all English combination on the right.

The attacks down the left hand side were clearly more intricate and clever. Heck, even Andy Carroll was getting in on the act with his Spanish speaking teammates. Far too often, though, Downing and Kelly sent the kind of aimless crosses into the box from the right that we’ve seen all season.

Indeed, apart from his very well taken goal, Downing had a pretty average match. The link up between him and Gerrard had a touch of fortune about it, but the finish was exquisite and to be honest, in a season that’s seen some of the worst finishing in memory I’m not going to complain too much when the ball goes in the back of the net.

But it’s unlikely Dalglish will continue to go with Maxi against QPR, as we again saw him be the first man substituted, even though he had a very good game. Indeed, in the rare moments when he has played he’s almost always been straight back to the bench for the next match. If he does start against QPR, though, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

It’s only taken until the latter half of March, but Dalglish finally picked up a team that left fans with a sense of confidence going into the game, rather than a feeling of dread.

The midfield pairing of Gerrard and Spearing had so much more balance to it. Take the moment when Martin Kelly had galloped forward on the right, lost the ball and allowed Stoke to counter attack through the vacant space behind him. Had Charlie Adam started, there’s every likelihood that would have ended up with a cross and probably a goal, but Steven Gerrard had stayed back, sprinted 30 yards across field and cut out the attack before it could get started. In a 4-2-3-1 both central midfielders have to have some sense of defensive duty and Charlie Adam, completely let off the hook in that department at Blackpool, is not capable of playing effectively in a two man midfield.

We saw in the last meeting between these two sides how Dalglish tried to combat Stoke’s physical approach with a three man defense, and that it completely failed because the opposition played with just one out and out striker, instead opting to pack the midfield. As a result Liverpool had a redundant man at the back that could have been utilised further forward, and because of this they barely had a shot on goal.

That Dalglish went the entire game, using all three substitutions and thus not recognising this tactical error, was a real worry. Thankfully, he started yesterday’s game in a much more suitable 4-2-3-1, meaning Liverpool were able to dominate the midfield and didn’t leave too many men at the back. Towards the end of the game, Liverpool were ahead, and therefore bringing on Coates to form a three man centre back line made sense, as not conceding, rather than controlling possession was Liverpool’s number one priority. In short, whereas Dalglish had gotten it completely wrong last time, he got it nearly spot on in this one.

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t just whinge about Dalglish because I dislike him, rather, I believe he’s made some awful decisions this season, which have cost us dearly in the league. But I believe we should all give credit where it’s due and even though it’s come far too late in the season, that Dalglish finally decided it was time to drop Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson is a good start.

Whether or not he has the cojones to continue without those two remains to be seen, but it would be thoroughly disappointing if against QPR all of the good work from the last two matches was undone and we reverted to the mediocre players we’ve seen for most of this season.

Playing for this club is a privilege, not a right. If players don’t perform, especially for an entire season, they don’t deserve to start every game. Liverpool should reward players that play well. Dalglish should know that better than anyone, and it appears at long last that the mediocrity of some of his signings is beginning to dawn on him. Hopefully, the same generosity that’s been undeservedly afforded to Henderson and Adam will be afforded to Maxi, who based on this performance, still has a lot to offer this club.

In a completely unrelated note, I would like to offer my well wishes to Fabrice Muamba. May you have a swift and full recovery.

Yesterday’s toothless defeat to Sunderland was the worst display Liverpool have put in in a long time. And to think we had over £100 million of ‘talent’ on the field during the game. That defeat is our third in a row and the first time that has happened since October 2003 under Gerard Houllier. That’s right, not even Roy Hodgson had such a bad run.

Indeed, with each passing game Dalglish looks more and more like Liverpool’s embattled ex-manager did towards the end of his turbulent tenure in charge. It’s only a matter of time before the violent face rubbing begins.

Surely, with Liverpool just two points above Everton having spent ten times more and facing them on Tuesday Kenny Dalglish’s position is under serious threat at the end of the season.

We can’t go on protecting him because of his ‘legendary’ status. If this was any other manager the knives would be out and despite Carling Cup success and subsequent Europa League qualification it has to be pointed out that Kenny Dalglish looks completely out of touch with the modern game, as the Reds find themselves in danger of slipping further and further down the Premier League standings.

You can’t help but feel bad for him, because you know he has the club’s best interests at heart, but the continued use of Carling Cup success and Liverpool’s place in the sixth round of the FA cup in a vain attempt to prove that Liverpool are indeed progressing really is painful to hear.

But, it gets worse. Kenny Dalglish actually tried to suggest that the wind was the reason behind Liverpool’s poor display. These are the words of a man who is seriously feeling the heat from upstairs. He has wasted the owner’s money on some very average players and even though he continues to stubbornly play them he must surely be catching on to the fact that they are nowhere near up to the job.

Charlie Adam, for instance, put in another poor display, completing just 72% of his passes and hitting the first man with just about every set piece. It’s just not a Liverpool match these days if Charlie Adam isn’t constantly throwing up an apologetic hand to his teammates. Yet he always starts.

Next to the erratic Scottish cannonball Jay Spearing was a little bit tidier but offered nothing in terms of creativity. Similarly, Martin Kelly put in a pretty solid defensive display at right back, but offered nothing creative going forward.

It was pretty much down to Luis Suarez to try and do it all on his own and it’s obvious he doesn’t trust his teammates enough to give them the ball. That was evident in how many times he tried to dribble through the defense on his own, dispossessed on all but a handful of occasions. He’s consistently visibly agitated by the mediocrity he has to play with, and to be honest, I don’t blame him.

Even the defense, Liverpool’s previous shining light in an otherwise poor season wasn’t good. Martin Skrtel failed to close down Fraiser Campbell while Coates didn’t even bother helping his keeper out as Nicolas Bendter strolled through for an easy tap in.

Kenny Dalglish’s substitutions reeked of the stubbornness we have come to expect. It seems how you perform these days doesn’t determine whether you play, rather that you were either bought by Kenny Dalglish or grew up on Merseyside. He must really dislike Maxi because the Argentine hasn’t played in weeks even though he’s a class above any of the new signings.

Certainly, after Downing and Carroll came on you knew Liverpool wouldn’t equalise and Sunderland knew exactly what was coming to them with Carroll. The Reds whipped in their crosses to him, but it’s just too predictable and too easy to defend.

All in all, Kenny Dalglish and Comolli both have to take responsibility for this shambles of a season. Their summer recruits, as well as Andy Carroll, are on par with the worst Liverpool signings in the 21st century, especially when you consider the money that was paid for them.

Sacking Dalglish now would be pointless, with only 11 games of the season to go, but FSG must seriously begin looking at a suitable replacement — preferably one who has modern tactical sense and doesn’t want to build an all British XI that costs a bazillion dollars — if they haven’t already.

They must also look into Damien Comolli’s performance. He brought us Luis Suarez but he played a big part in signing the rest of the mediocrity. He’s disliked at Arsenal and Tottenham, two clubs at which he worked previously, and in Tottenham’s case many fans attribute part of their current good run to getting rid of the Frenchman who it was said had begun to do more harm than good at the club.

It’s been a very poor season, and to be quite frank I’m looking forward to the end because watching performances like this don’t bring me much enjoyment anymore. We were spoilt somewhat under Benitez when the likes of Torres, Garcia, Alonso, a younger Gerrard and Mascherano meant we were almost always competitive, but these days we’re treated to visual delights such as Adam, Jay Spearing, Downing and Andy Carroll.

It’s frightening how far we’ve slipped and in my opinion Dalglish is definitely not the man to take us back to the top.

Jamie Carragher getting found out

Liverpool have not been great in their last two matches. They were poor in spite of victory against Cardiff and they couldn’t put their chances away (again) against Arsenal. This time Robin Van Persie made sure they paid and now the Reds are a full ten points off fourth place. Sunderland may have hit a roadblock in their incredible rise recently, especially since both Cattermole and Sessegnon were suspended following red cards against Newcastle, but they still have enough to give Liverpool plenty of trouble.

Admirably, Ian Ayre and Charlie Adam have both come out and said Liverpool will still try for fourth place but in reality there is no chance Champions League football will be returning to Anfield next season. Unfortunately, things could get even worse with Fulham and Stoke City just three points behind the Reds and Sunderland not an easy prospect; by the end of the weekend Liverpool could be level on points with either of those former two sides.

Here are just a few reasons Liverpool might struggle.

Sunderland are dangerous from wide areas

When Martin O’Neill took over from Steve Bruce Sunderland were 16th in the Premier League. Until a recent 4-0 defeat to Roy Hodgson’s West Brom he had guided them as high as eighth, and they now sit just 5 points below Liverpool in the Premier League table.

O’Neill is a master of motivation and instills a never say die attitude wherever he goes, but there is more to the Northern Irishman than man-management.

O’Neill sides play with width and it’s almost always effective. At Aston Villa he had Stewart Downing and Ashley Young, and at Sunderland he has Sebastian Larsson and James McClean with either Nicolas Bendtner or Frazier Campbell able to provide outlets in the centre.

That’s a problem for Liverpool if Jamie Carragher’s playing because we all saw from Sagna’s beautiful cross to Van Persie that Carragher is not great at defending crosses. At 186cm (probably smaller now in his old age) he’s not the tallest of centre backs and there a plenty of examples of him being out-jumped in the air, Kenwyne Jones getting the better of him last year after a Jonathan Walters Cross springs to mind.

Sunderland cross the ball a lot so Liverpool will be under pressure. It would ne nice to see Coates start, seeing as he’s six foot five and the Copa America player of the year, but it’s almost a given that Carragher will be selected ahead of him.

Poor finishing

This one really goes without saying. Most likely Liverpool will dominate the game, play well and create a host of great chances. There’s also no doubt those chances will miss by inches and the post-match press conferences will consist of excuses like bad luck and goalkeepers reserving world class performances just for Liverpool.

The fact remains Liverpool have close to the worst conversion rate in the league. They hit the woodwork twice against Arsenal, missed a penalty and then missed the relatively easy follow up. There comes a point when you can’t go on blaming bad luck and you have to accept that some of the forwards just aren’t up to scratch

Last season under Kenny Dalglish Liverpool were banging in the goals. Maxi Rodriguez was goal-scorer in chief, coming off the left wing to finish off the good build up play of others (Sound like a familiar problem?). He might not be the long-term solution, but surely putting Maxi in the team until the end of the season is exactly what this team needs. If we do that all those chances we create will stop ending in hands on heads moments and might start leading to goals.

A weak central midfield

Yep, the position that Liverpool spent £23 million reinforcing with British players, “because they are ‘Premier League Proven’ so they should have an easier time adjusting”, is one of our weakest areas. Arguments that these players need time to gel just don’t cut it because that’s exactly what we paid a British premium to avoid.

In fairness to Jordan Henderson, he is still young and at least shows the basic abilities of a top level footballer, i.e. being able to trap and pass a ball, but right now he’s not offering enough.

Charlie Adam didn’t really do much defending at Blackpool and when you look at moments like him chasing David Silva around unnecessarily a few weeks ago and allowing Nigel De Jong all the time in the world to fire off a once in a life time shot, or literally standing in one spot and watching as Kenny Miller drifted deep to set up Cardiff’s first goal you can see why at times our defense has been left horribly exposed.

His passing is still erratic, too. Yes he creates chances but how many times has he hit the first man from a set piece or given the ball away in midfield. Against Arsenal he had a 72 per cent pass completion rate. That’s pretty poor, considering the best passers in the league are consistently in the 80′s. The problem with Adam is it looks great when his fourty yard passes come off but a lot of the time he’s giving the ball away or committing unnecessary defensive errors.

Nonetheless, Liverpool’s defense is still good, but there are times where we really miss Lucas, who won’t dive into tackles and has the positional sense of a TomTom. Jay Spearing is willing but would he really get into the first team if he wasn’t from Merseyside?

The Reds will welcome back Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson from injury; and Suarez, Bellamy, Kuyt, the defense and Reina will continue to be positives. Who knows, maybe everything will magically click tomorrow and Liverpool will kickstart a scoring run. More likely, though, is that Sunderland will frustrate Liverpool to breaking point, hit them on the counter attack and whip in a beautiful cross that will snatch a surprising win that really won’t be surprising at all.

Do you agree? Put your money where your mouth is then with Bet365 and take advantage of their free 100% Open Account Offer.

Essential information

Who: Liverpool v Arsenal
What: Premier League
Where: Anfield
Date: 03.03.2012
Kick off: 12:45 GMT
Referee: M R Halsey
Betting Odds: Bet365

With just two days rest between the Carling Cup final and Wednesday’s international fixtures it was always likely Steven Gerrard would pick up an injury. With Daniel Agger suffering a suspected broken rib as well, Liverpool are without their captain and one component of the second best defense in the league as they take on a resurgent Arsenal, who will be looking to build on their best display of the season.

A loss here for the Reds will almost certainly spell the end of what slim hopes they had of reaching fourth place, while a victory would leave them just four points off fourth with a game in hand. The stakes really couldn’t be higher for the king and his men. Which is why it’s all the more unfortunate that two key players have yet again succumb to injury.

With Daniel Agger out, the best part of Liverpool’s side has been disrupted. Their good defense was the only thing holding this season together as Suarez and co struggled to find goals.

Dalglish has shown sentiment, even stubbornness with his selections. That’s why it’s frustrating to know he will almost certainly select Jamie Carragher over Sebastian Coates as the Dane’s replacement. Carragher was a good defender and is a loyal servant, but his time as a top flight defender is over.

Coming up against Robin Van Persie, the most effective striker in the league, as well as speedsters such as Walcott, Gervinho and Oxlade-Chamberlain he will surely be found out.

Sebastian Coates was the Copa America young player of the tournament and would do a much better job alongside Martin Skrtel, but he’s unlikely to get the nod of approval. There comes a time and level of opposition where a good understanding will only get you so far. Carragher’s body is not what is used to be and he will struggle against quicker, more athletic players.

Another Steven Gerrard injury picked up on international duty means Liverpool are now extremely light in midfield, too. Jay Spearing will perform his ball winning duties but his distribution can be erratic, while he has nothing like the positional sense of Lucas Leiva.

Combine that with Charlie Adam’s inconsistent, over ambitious passing, and an almost complete lack of defensive sense and you have a recipe for disaster.

Jordan Henderson might be the best of a bad bunch when it comes to ball retention but he is anonymous at times, as we all saw against Cardiff.

Likewise, Arsenal’s midfield are not so great this year, but the likes of Song, Rosicky and Arteta are better man to man than what Liverpool will field tomorrow.

All of these issues will only exacerbate one problem. Liverpool are not as good as they think. The past cup performances have bluffed supporters into thinking there goal scoring problems will just go away. The reality is though, they have just one win in their last six premier league games . Just one win in six! Almost as bad is that they’ve scored just five goals in those games.

Arsenal have had their problems in the FA cup and the Champions League but their league form is much better than the Reds’. They’ve won their last three and scored 14 goals in the process. They were terrific against Spurs and that result will really spur them on.

Liverpool will be fired up too, no doubt, but they really weren’t great at all against Cardiff. Remember this was the sixth placed side in the Championship that took the Reds to penalties and very nearly won. All game it was aimless crosses into Andy Carroll, not his fault, but just what you get when you buy a player like that.

It was telling that it took two pre-Dalglish signings, one a defender and one deemed not good enough to start to score the goals.

Stewart Downing was man of the match, but he won’t be afforded the same time and space when he faces up against Bacary Sagna.

So it is then, that Liverpool will pin their hopes on Craig Bellamy, Luis Suarez, Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt (should he be afforded the luxury of a start) again.

The Reds haven’t lost at home this season but there’s a first time for everything. Arsenal are leaky in defense but Liverpool can’t finish, so don’t expect the Reds to score many. The Gunners score lots of goals and the Reds’ defense will be weaker than usual. Expect an exciting game with both sides determined to grab fourth spot, with Arsenal having that little bit of extra class and goal scoring prowess.

Scoreline prediction

Liverpool 1-3 Arsenal

Bet365 odds

Liverpool are favourites with Bet365, but Arsenal are really good value to win this one and that’s where the smart money is for me.

Take advantage of their 100 per cent ‘Open Account Offer’ on your first deposit.

As the Liverpool team recovered from their Carling Cup hangover many found themselves on planes and buses, off on international duty for their respective countries. We’ll tell you which Liverpool players are playing, where, against who and at what time. After you’ve finished reading, check out the Betfair football odds and win yourself some cash.

Turkey v Slovakia, Ataturk Stadium (Turkey), 29.02.2012, Kick off – 18:30 GMT

Martin Skrtel will face another stern test in defense as Slovakia take on a talented Turkish side in the boiling pot that is Turkish football. Skrtel’s side could have a hard time as Turkey have never lost to the Slovakians since they gained independence.

The other half of Skagger, Daniel Agger — also known as ‘The man of glass’ — has lived up to his name, suffering a suspected broken rib in the Carling Cup final, meaning he won’t be playing against Russia. It’s bad news for Liverpool. Skagger was one of the best things to happen to the Reds this season and you should be hoping Dalglish plays Coates instead of Carragher because the veteran is well past his best.

Uruguay v Romania, National Arena (Romania), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 19:30 GMT

Luis Suarez will be relieved to escape the media shitstorm he’s faced this season as he and fellow countryman Sebastian Coates take the quick plane trip over to Romania, where they’ll play at the National Arena.

Liverpool fans on the other hand will be crossing their fingers, hoping their best player doesn’t pick up an injury in a pretty meaningless match. If Liverpool are to salvage what slim chance they have of getting a top four place, Suarez will be key.

Switzerland v Argentina, Stade de Suisse Wankdorf (Switzerland), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 19:30 GMT

Yes, the stadium really is called Wankdorf! Maxi Rodriguez has managed to get himself into an Argentina squad that boasts the likes of Messi, Aguero, Higuain, Di Maria and Mascherano, but is obviously not good enough to get into the Liverpool first team.

I’ll be hoping he puts in a stellar performance and forces his way back into Dalglish’s plans because this guy is quality, especially when played with Suarez.

Slovenia v Scotland, SRC Bonifika Stadion (Slovenia), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 19:30 GMT

Charlie Adam finds himself in the Scotland squad travelling to Slovenia after a pretty crappy display against Cardiff. Inconsistent throughout, his penalty was one of the worst in memory and he can thank Kuyt, Skrtel, Johnson, Downing and Anthony Gerrard that his side got to lift the Carling Cup at all.

Wales v Costa Rica, Cardiff City Stadium (Wales), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 19:45 GMT

Craig Bellamy will captain the Welsh squad for the Gary Speed testimonial match on Wednesday. He’ll be looking to send off his old friend with a typically fiery performance.

Dalglish will be sweating on the status of the Welshman’s rickety knees, though, because Bellamy is another key man for the top four push.

England v Holland, Wembley (England), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 20:00 GMT

Dirk Kuyt was the hero against Cardiff and he’ll be hoping to get the better of his Liverpool teammates as Holland take on England in a match that was originally supposed to be played last year but was cancelled due to safety concerns following the London riots.

Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Stewart Downing all earned call-ups to the side and Gerrard could well be captain in John Terry’s absence. About time too. Glen Johnson will face a challenge from Micah Richards but perhaps that’s a good thing, Liverpool can’t afford him getting injured, either.

There was no place for Andy Carroll or Jordan Henderson and that’s fair enough for me.

* UPDATE: Glen Johnson has pulled out of this game in a precautionary move. Joleon Lescott replaces him. *

Spain v Venezuela, La Rosaleda (Spain), 29.02.2012, Kick off — 20:30 GMT

Elsewhere in the world Pepe Reina will sit on the bench for Spain again, which is probably a good thing considering the hangover he’s likely to have after the final.

Jose Enrique’s blistering form wasn’t enough to earn him a call up to the best side in the world, but if he keeps going the way he has been it’s only a matter of time.

Fernando Torres has been dropped from the Spain squad with Del Bosque sighting poor form as the primary reason, continuing an unhappy few years for the ladyboy.

There are some good games to be played but all in all, we just want everyone to come back fit and healthy.

It was intense, it was dramatic, and at times it was downright ugly. But Liverpool won the Carling Cup. Here are five things we learned.

Martin Skrtel is one of the best defenders in the League

Liverpool have the second best defense in the league behind Manchester City and a big part of that is the presence of Martin Skrtel. Once deemed the softest hard man in football Skrtel is now a dominate force who rarely lets opposition strikers get the better of him, and is almost always available for selection.

His partnership with Agger is a manager’s dream. Agger has license to take the ball forward and Skrtel is strong and fast enough to cover the space in behind. If Skrtel’s defensive game wasn’t enough, he showed Liverpool’s profligate strikers how to score last night with a well-taken, albeit scrappy goal.

Dirk Kuyt is a Liverpool legend

How many important goals can one man score in his career? Dirk Kuyt has consistently grabbed late match winners throughout his time at Anfield and he thought he’d grabbed another when he put Liverpool ahead in extra time.

His replacement of a pretty quiet Jordan Henderson instantly bought new energy to the side and at the end of the day, there aren’t many players in that Liverpool dressing room who deserved a trophy more than ‘Mr Duracell’ himself. It’s hard to believe a player who’s given as much as he has hasn’t won one sooner and it was intensely satisfying to see him slot his penalty and jump up and down like a little child.

Cardiff are a decent team with a lot of heart

Cardiff gave it everything last night. You won’t see a performance with that much heart for a long time. Completely dominated for 120 minutes, they defended like Champions and in the rare moments they held on to possession looked like a fairly good side.

Miller created one goal and had a glorious chance to win it just before the death. That miss along with his miss in the shoot out will long haunt his memory.

Nonetheless, the way they fought back from 2-1 down in extra time to draw level just before the end is the stuff people play and watch sports for. They took a team that spent £100 million plus in 2011 to penalties and nearly won. They can all hold their heads up high.

Kenny Dalglish still knows how to win trophies

Dalglish knows a thing or two about trophies. He knows a thing or five about the League Cup too. This win makes it five times he’s won it as player or manager. That is an amazing stat.

It’s good to see a manager taking the Carling Cup seriously, because it’s a worthy prize and the first trophy Liverpool has one in six years. It also puts us in the Europa League next season.

Even if Dalglish hasn’t got the side playing stellar football at least Liverpool supporters know what it feels like to win something again. Which brings me to our last point.

Liverpool still have problems

45 shots on goal and 11 on target. Those are the statistics from last night from the Guardian and the story of Liverpool’s season. In reality, Liverpool should’ve put the game to bed, like they should’ve so many times before.

Charlie Adam was again inconsistent with his passing (What was he thinking when he hit that penalty?), Henderson was completely overcome by the occasion and the play was just so predictable. There were way too many crosses and it played right into Cardiff’s hands.

Bar Stewart Downing, who has been pretty ordinary but had one of his best games last night, Enrique and Bellamy, the best players on the field last night were all pre-Kenny signings. Johnson, Skrtel, Agger, Kuyt and Reina were immense. They’ve been immense all season. But Liverpool are still the worst finishers in the Premier League and that could continue to harm them.

They’re currently seven points off fourth place and should they lose to a resurgent Arsenal they’ll be 10 points off and Champions League will almost certainly be gone for another season.

No one can say this trophy doesn’t matter, though. It’s the biggest day in Jose Enrique’s career and it’s a long time coming for Kuyt, Agger, Skrtel and Pepe. It’s Liverpool’s first trophy in six years and even if all it does is give us another taste of success, that’s got to count for something. Liverpool need to remember what this feels like and do everything in their power to feel it twice more this season.

As we prepare for Liverpool’s first cup final in seven years we’ve scoured through the database at LFC History and dug up 10 facts about Liverpool in the Carling Cup that every Liverpool fan should know. It’s a competition the Reds have historically dominated and if they can overcome Cardiff it will be their first trophy since the FA cup win over West Ham in 2006. Without any further ado, your 10 facts:

1. The Reds have played in 10 League Cup finals, 13 if you include their 3 cup final replays. From those 10 finals they’ve won 7 trophies, more than anyone in the competitions history.
2. Incredibly, Kenny Dalglish has played in a League Cup final 6 times. 9 times if you count the three cup final replays. He has won the trophy four times. In the 2-1 loss to Arsenal in 1987 he was both manager and player.
3. Ian Rush is Liverpool’s highest ever goalscorer in the League Cup, hitting the back of the net 48 times.
4. The Reds share a record with West Ham for the highest score in League Cup history, after they battered Fulham 10-0 in 1986.
5. Liverpool have scored 427 goals in 211 League Cup games.
6. The 2001 final against Birmingham was the only time Liverpool have gone to penalties in a League Cup final. Sander Westerveld made the decisive save in sudden death.
7. Liverpool have met Sunday’s opponents — Cardiff City — once before in the League Cup. That was a round four 2-1 victory for the Reds on the 31st of October 2007.
8. Should Jamie Carragher feature at any time in the Carling Cup final he will make his 33rd appearance in a League Cup, tying him with former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman at 21st in Liverpool’s all time rankings for League Cup appearances.
9. Liverpool have conceded five goals and scored 12 from six games on the road to the final this season.
10. Luis Suarez is Liverpool’s top scorer in the competition this year with three.

Interesting.