If I never saw the sunshine, I wouldn’t mind the rain…

The trouble is, not only did I see the sunshine, I saw a long hot summer lasting from the mid 60s until 6 February 2007. Then the weather changed, as slowly but surely two new owners gathered in the clouds above L4; it’s been raining ever since.

The rain is now so heavy that come 11 October 2010 Liverpool Football Club as we know it could sink into the mire as the banks decide our fate.

Today Liverpool face Blackpool sitting in the bottom three after our worst start to a season in my memory.  A win is of course vital and could see us move up to 10^th in “this oddest of Premier League seasons” – something straight of the Sky Sports book of bullshit quotes.

If we win today it won’t alter the fact that this is poor, this is wrong and this is totally unacceptable!

I happen to think that the manager has been tactically inept, the players, some of them at least looking less than hungry or caring – but by far the biggest problem is the current ‘ownership.’

That’s why it is not 3pm that is most important time today but 1:30pm outside the supporters club, when the fans, myself included, will come together to show that we aim to get our sunshine back. If you can make it please be there even if you’re not going to the game. (More info on Spirit of Shankly)

Also don’t forget if you can get down to Hope Street this morning do so. Mike Jefferies and Dan Hubbard are continuing their film aimed at showing the world what Hicks & Gillett are doing to OUR club so support them if you can.

The title of this piece is a Beth Orton song – she wrote another called Blood Red River…two lines in that song say a lot:

Why must people always want what they can’t have?

Why must people always take but forget to ask?

Hicks & Gillett you forgot to ask and we will show you that you can’t have. You are not welcome anywhere!

Our fight is against them, the owners of our club – although I don’t understand how they get that title – let’s take back what is ours!

Liverpool Football Club is in the wrong hands!

Optimism - misplaced or displaced?

So Rafa went. I didn’t want him to go but it was either him or new owners so it was a no brainer. Good bye Rafa and good luck.

So Roy came in. I didn’t want him but it was either him or new owners so it was a no brainer. Hello Roy and good luck.

I hope you’re getting my drift.

On the 17 July as a normally optimistic person I tuned in to watch Roy’s new Liverpool, albeit with an under strength squad, take on Al-Hilal. Of course the rain in Austria delayed Roy’s first game in charge.

Since then we’ve managed to scrape past Trabzonspor to gain a place in the Europa League; were unlucky not to take 3pts from Arsenal after a terrible first half performance; got slaughtered at Man City; beat WBA and scraped an “attractive 0 – 0” at Birmingham. Oh, and of course, we made a ‘profit’ in the window.

My optimistic self tells me that the new additions to the squad need time to gel and settle in and the old hands need to get used to what Roy wants of them.

Therefore on Thursday, with more or less a full squad to choose from, we can expect to see Roy’s strongest 11 starting against Steaua Bucharest ahead of Sunday’s game against the Manc’s ‘Howard Webb 12’? No?

Somehow I think half a dozen of that strongest 11 (who knows what that is?) will be getting to know each other in the stands.

There it goes again, the optimism, displaced and right out of the window.

Why am I feeling this way? And I can see by reading other tweets that I’m not alone feeling this way.

The reason for me is simple and showed in the City and Birmingham games in particular. Roy got it wrong. Fair enough, early on in a new job he’s finding his feet, but when it was clear early in both games why did he not change it? To compound that with his “Attractive 0 – 0” statement, well I’m sorry it is not good enough Roy.

I tweeted in angst on Sunday during the game that:

“It looks like Roy is bringing LFC down to his level rather than rising to the challenge of managing a top team”

I see no reason to change that opinion. Roy’s level by the way, in my opinion, is distinctly mid table and I fear that’s where we’re heading.

Pick a strong team on Thursday Roy. Help me replace my optimism in my team. I know it’s not your fault and as our manager you have my support and YNWA.

As for renewing my optimism in the club, well that’s a no brainer. That is until we can say goodbye and good riddance to Hicks & Gillett and say hello to new owners. Now there's optimism for you!