AOTK Magazine - Issue 2 by SikanderN

! FR EE February 2013 Issue 2

Featuring: w Steven Gerrard - is he LFC's g.o.a.t w Top 10 goals of 2012 w New boy - Daniel Sturridge w Moneyball - a golden opportunity wasted & much much more inside

FREE Liverpool FC Content inside. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out!

4. Steven Gerrard - Liverpool’s G.O.A.T? 6. Moneyball - How Liverpool wasted a golden opportunity 8. @MRSSG’s Top 10 goals of 2012 12. Fans’ incresing expectations of youth 14. Daniel Sturridge - A shrewd acqusition 16. Analysis - Season so far 20. Jordan Henderson - Reborn 22. Hillsborough, Munich and the great hyposcrisy 24. Glen Johnson - The stereotypical attacking fullback? 26. 4th Spot - It’s up for grabs 28. Wingbacks & Liverpool

AttackoftheKop Mag

We’d all love a mate like Jamie Car- ragher. While he himself could lay claim to being one of the greatest to pull on the Liver Bird adorned red shirt, can we really believe that Stevie Gerrard is, in fact, the G.O.A.T - The greatest Liverpool player of all time. That is most definitely saying something. Liddell? Dalglish? Barnes? Yeats? Rush? Souness? Keegan? Fowler? Hyp- pia? Hunt? There’s so many to be considered. Carra’s interview on Monday 21st January – the night after Gerrard was feted and honoured by the Football Writers’ Association – explained it this way: “There are guys like Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Ian Rush, all world-class players, but the difference was they were in a world-class team - and Ste- vie has not played in a world-class team.” You can follow the logic, but for me, being the G.O.A.T means simply that. Usain Bolt is part of arguably the greatest team of sprinters history has ever seen. Federer has been pushed and tested by Nadal and more recently Djokovic, arguably three of the best of all time. Hoy and Wiggins have both been part of all-conquering Team GB elite cyclists. Are any of their claims diminished by their peers? I don’t think so. So we have to consider Gerrard on his own merits, and ignore the relative failings – or otherwise – of the teams he has played in. To judge this accurately I need to firstly be sure that he’s the greatest midfielder of all time. I’ll start by looking at the candidates in my lifetime who could challenge him. Sou- ness, Whelan, and McMahon spring immediately to mind. Followed, chronologically of course, by Messrs McAllister, Hamman and Alonso. There are arguments for and against others – Molby, Redknapp and Ince – but I’m happy with the list below. I think they represent the best of the best of the last thirty years. Between them all have specialisms, skills and successes to speak of, but can any rival Gerrard’s all round game? Let’s look at their USP’s first of all, and see in what areas, if any, they outshine our Captain Fantastic. I’m going to take a view on the following attributes: tackling, passing range, passing accuracy, speed of thought, tactical awareness, ability to lift team-mates, shooting, knack of scoring vital goals, heading and trophies won, with a score out of ten for them all. Souness would perhaps be the likeliest to challenge Gerrard, with his immense tackling, and arguably Whelan, McAllis- ter and Alonso were all marginally more tactically aware and versatile. Consider- ing Carragher’s point, I thought it worth including a ‘trophies won’ section, where the lack of a league title sees Gerrard lower ranked than Souness, Whelan and McMahon. But even with this kind of stiff competition, by my – admittedly subjective – assessment, Gerrard is the only one who av- erages over 9.0, and he is head and shoulders clear of Souness, in a distant second place. So for me, the G.M.A.T test – Greatest Midfielder of All Time – (or at least the last 30 years) is in the bag.

Gerrard is the complete midfielder. It’s not just that ability to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and score crucial goals. He has operated across midfield, sometimes filling in at full back when required, played in behind Torres in a ‘false 9’ role, and again this season shown his versatility in getting used to a new system. Ever present in the Premier League this year, with best ever pass completion and showing real maturity in terms of awareness and pass selection, he’s no longer the man we rely on to do everything. Su- arez has handled that pressure remarkably well. But in 2013 – and, hopefully several years beyond – Gerrard is the metronome of our new team and system. Despite taking the G.M.A.T by some distance however, I think Carra’s G.O.A.T claim is, somehow, a bit much. And I’m afraid that without a single league trophy (yet!) to his name, that doesn’t feel quite right. One European Cup, and some UEFA, FA and League Cup trophies don’t quite cut it, whatever you say about the rest of the team. Dalglish, Neal, Rush and Souness could all arguably be more ‘goatworthy’ than Gerrard. He’s one of the first names in my all-time XI, but King Kenny did it all, and transcended his position and the rest of the team. If Gerrard can be part of bringing that first and elusive Premier League title home before he hangs up his boots, then just maybe, but for now, he’ll have to settle with being our greatest midfielder by some considerable distance, and our ultimate No.8. Retire the shirt if needs be and help him get his coaching badges. But drop the G.O.A.T talk, for now, anyway, and at the same time, let’s acclaim one of the all time greats.

Jeremy Michaels

AttackoftheKop Mag

£110 million. That’s what Liverpool spent to bring in new players last season. More than 1/10th of a BILLION pounds (or the equiva- lent of US$176 million). Despite what some of the more nit- picking fans may want to say, the moneys earned on sales become irrelevant as the more important metric is what you have available to spend on players and what you eventually do with it. Earning £50M from the Torres trade means nothing if you end up splashing 70% of that on say, a 4-goal player player... Oh wait, that IS what they did. Nor is this a recent phenomenon at Liverpool. Over the past five (5) seasons, only Man- chester City and Chelsea have spent more on player acquisitions. Unfortunately, of the three, only Manchester City and Chelsea have been rewarded with a Premier League trophy. Add the fact that Liverpool haven’t played Champions’ League football since the 2009/10 season and the sense of despair and gloom only deepens.

In the Red Enter, FSG - the American knights in Versace armour who, in December 2010, swooped in to “save” the once mighty club from the grasps of the tyrannous Hicks & Gillett (mind you, H&G look more like these two here). Liverpool fans the world over heaved a collective sigh of relief, certain that their glory days would return in an instant. They haven’t. Suddenly, the term “Moneyball” was being bandied about, and glorified, in the English media. John W. Henry (principal owner) and Tom Werner (chairman) of the Fenway Sports Group, had successfully used a tactic of securing players based on analytics of their performances to wrest the baseball World Series. They were determined to use the same moneyball strategy at Liverpool Football Club and expected similar rewards – boy were they dead wrong! What happened next is a lesson in how not to operate a business and the difference between cultures, sport and experience.

Culture However cliché it may sound, football is a way of life for many people around the globe. This could very well be the single most important reason football leagues continue to thrive despite worldwide economic woes. Unlike the USA where capitalist pursuits lead teams to move to new cities, where some fans change teams when they change address, football teams across Europe frequently have more than a century of history in a single, solitary locale, with generations of family members having experienced the highs and very lows of their journey. Recently however, businessmen lured by the affluence of the Cham- pions’ League, have taken over several European teams, with varying results. For example, it only took Roman Abramovich nine managers to secure a Champions League title, while the owners of Manchester City and Paris St. Germain wait in the wings. Owners who do not make an effort to understand the culture of football in these coun- tries, and indeed the culture of the people, risk committing many expensive and embar- rassing blunders that eventually alienate supporters. High-ticket prices, a heavy influx of foreign recruits and unpopular stadium changes are just a few of the business driven decisions that leave little in the way of cultural considerations.

Sport – You say puh-tay-toe Baseball and football are two very different beasts. As simple as this sounds one wonders if FSG have grasped this concept. Baseball, while still a team sport, requires very indi- vidualistic performances throughout nine innings of hitting and fielding. The double- or triple-play, calling off an outfielder, the sacrifice fly and a well-placed bunt are the closest baseball gets to co-ordinated team effort at times (undoubtedly baseball fans will take great umbrage to that). Whether you agree or disagree, here is one thing you can’t refute – football requires much more interplay and co-ordination between players than baseball ever will. Football is chemistry, art, flair, cohesion and passion, in a style baseball and many other team sports will never be able to emulate. It is for this very reason the strategy pursued by FSG was flawed and destructive. Raw performance data on a player can never tell you how he will actually fit into a team’s system, how he will play off his teammates, his mental fortitude in critical games or his ability to conjure up a moment of magic that would be the talk on every supporter’s lips for decades.

Experience Let’s just dispense with diplomacy – everybody in England (and possibly all of Europe) knew that Liverpool were being duped in the purchases of Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Charlie Adam. Questionable talent aside, the “British Tax” excuse with which LFC consoled themselves had been proven to be quite farcical time and again, yet they persisted with the purchase of very average players for above average prices. Managers and owners with a greater understanding of football and more experience would never have made those mistakes. Indeed, it is telling that LFC faced no major competition for the signatures of the aforementioned players - the prices were only inflated by their place of birth, not the market. Having now liberated the organisation of a few of these players, FSG has moved from one extreme to the next – haggling over £2 million for the price of last season’s fourth leading goal scorer (tied), Clint Dempsey. Considering that they had moved on other strik- ing options, that they only had two recognised strikers and that the premier league pays £755,000 for each place in the table, that was as stingy, impractical and pathetic as can be imagined. Still, the owners of FSG remain in absentia as Liverpool Football Club continues to wallow in mediocrity.

Champions League Dreams The 2011/2012 season should have marked the beginning of Liverpool’s renaissance, instead it has only contributed to the club’s setbacks and has sunk the organisation deeper into the realm of the ordinary. Having been linked with the likes of Juan Mata and Mario Gomez last term, they swooped up the brilliant Adam and Downing. The former two faced off in the Champions’ League final, the latter, well; we all know how that turned out. To make matters worse, players like Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez will obviously feel a sense of urgency to start challenging for titles and to compete at the top level again, but given FSG’s “new policy” of pursuing young, unproven talent with high resale value, it would seem that Liverpool have no intention of rewarding Stevie and his colleagues with a trophy any time soon. A shame given his commitment and loyalty to the club – something rarely seen in this new era of football. Liverpool, sadly, aspire to be the latter-day Arsenal – always generating a profit, perhaps even playing a style of football that’s easy on the eye, but without awards or accolades for their talented, hardworking players. From a business perspective, this may be a very viable and practical approach but you never hear fans in the pub boasting about balance sheets.

Andrew Hewitt

AttackoftheKop Mag

The New Year has come and gone so it’s time to reflect on the year that was. A Trophy was brought back to Anfield in the Carling Cup but also a poor finish in the league followed it. However, one thing is for certain the team scored some great goals which will be talked about for years to come. We don’t just rely on Luis Suarez to score goals at Liver- pool irrespective of what the media say. Here is the proof. A look back at my Top 10 Goals of 2012. A variety of goal scorers who play in different positions. There are defenders, midfielders and of course attackers. A range of goals from headers, team goals, volleys, shots from outside the box. From every competition the Reds played in last year. I’m sure you all have got your favourites. Sit back relax and relieve some quality strikes. Do they bring back good memories? Enjoy

10.

Craig Bellamy - Liverpool 2-2 Man City Carling Cup Semi Final

It was one of those nights when Anfield rocked and reverberated with noise. The Carling Cup has brought more embarrassment than joy for Liverpool in recent years, but a tumultuous semi-final second leg ended with a long overdue return to Wembley gleefully secured by Craig Bellamy. His 74th minute contribution was appropriate for a goal which sent his boyhood team back to the place where they have been absent for too long. Receiving Kuyt’s ball into the area, he laid a deft little two-yard pass to Glen Johnson and spun away to receive it and find a shot which was too much for Joe Hart.

Dirk Kuyt - Liverpool 2-1 Man United FA Cup 4th Round The match was on the verge of going to a replay with the scores tied at 1-1 after Park Ji Sung had cancelled out Daniel Agger’s header. Then came the decisive moment. With 2 minutes remaining Kuyt had inexplicably slipped off Evra’s radar when Reina’s long punt was won by Carroll, and the Dutchman beat De Gea with a mighty swing of his right boot. The Kop went absolutely crazy knowing that we had knockout our fiercest rivals.

Martin Skrtel - Cardiff City 1-1 Liverpool Carling Cup Final

It was the moment Steven Gerrard had craved for the best part of six years, the golden sky at the end of the storm. Liverpool had finally won a trophy again, but the immediate taste of glory was bittersweet. Gerrard’s team-mates charged towards Jose Reina in cel- ebration as once again Liverpool’s nerve and luck held -- just about -- in a penalty shoot- out. But for their captain, that sense of release did not take over until he had consoled Anthony Gerrard, his cousin, who had just missed the decisive kick for Cardiff City in that, cruellest of lotteries at the end of an enthralling game.

Cardiff were leading the game 1 nil courtesy of goal by Mason. 2 minutes after Bellamy had entered the fray in the second half Liverpool were level. Downing floated in a corner from the left, Carroll beat Turner in the air to it, with the ball turned against the post by Suarez from right in front of Heaton Skrtel was quickest to react, steering the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs from 7 yards for the equaliser.

Andy Carroll - Blackburn Rovers 2-3 Liverpool Premier League

There is perhaps only one word to describe this game - chaotic. That was the condition of both teams for much of a frantic encounter, and of Blackburn at the end as they went in search of the winner against 10 men that would have given them hope in their relegation fight, but instead gifted victory to the punch-drunk visitors. We raced into an early 2 nil lead only for us to go down to 10 men after Doni had got sent off. Yakubu pulled the score back 2-2 after a brace. However, Andy Carroll would have the last laugh. From hanging on for a point somehow the Reds summoned the energy to get all three. Sebastian Coates clipped the ball forward, Ag- ger leapt to nod across goal and Carroll powered it past Robinson. The mood was transformed. “We’re on the march with Kenny’s Army,” echoed around Ewood Park. We had snatched it at the death.

Andy Carroll - Liverpool 2-1 Everton FA Cup Semi Final The FA Cup semi - final against Everton at Wem- bley had extra significance as it was played the day before the 23rd Anniversary of the Hillsbor- ough disaster. The minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster was perfectly observed before the match began, The Blue Noses took a 1 nil lead through Nikica Jelavic. An Everton defensive error just after the hour pre- sented Luis Suarez an easy goal to give the Reds a route back. Extra time beckoned, but number 9 Andy Carroll leapt to glance substitute Craig Bel- lamy’s free kick past Howard to send Liverpool through in the dying minutes.

Luis Suarez - Norwich 2-5 Liverpool Premier League

It’s a song Luis Suarez has become familiar with at grounds across the country. Opposi- tion fans use it to goad him about past controversies. However, with the Liverpool striker having silenced that chant with a display of breath-taking brilliance it was the joyous 2,500 travelling Kopites who gave it an airing with a different tone. ‘Luis Suarez, you know what you are,’ echoed around Carrow Road. They know, Suarez knows and so do Norwich’s overworked and embarrassed back four who were tormented by the Uruguayan. When Suarez performs in this manner, he proves himself to be one of the most technically gifted marksmen on the planet. Having wrestled the match ball off referee Mike Jones after the final whistle, Suarez went to salute the away end for their unwavering support. He had capped his 50th league appearance for the club with an historic achievement. No Liv- erpool player had ever scored hat-tricks in the same away league fixture in successive seasons.

AttackoftheKop Mag His 2nd Goal Ruddy took a short goal-kick; Suarez was alert and closed down Michael Turner. Having nipped the ball off the defender, he nutmegged him for good measure and then with the outside of his right boot bent an exquisite finish into the corner.

Liverpool 1-0 Anzhi Makhachkala Europa League A rare Stewart Downing goal secured Liv- erpool a Europa League victory over Rus- sian side Anzhi Makhachkala. Downing cut in from the left after the break and drilled a powerful angled drive past keeper Vladimir Gabulov. What a belter!!

Liverpool 4-0 Fulham Barclays Premier League

Gerrard whips in the corner. Two Fulham players challenge for the ball, but can only bundle into each other and direct the ball into the path of Skrtel. The Slovakian measured the situation and struck a sweet volley past Mark Schwarzer. A finish a striker would’ve been proud of.

West Ham 2-3 Liverpool Premier League Johnson put Liverpool ahead in spec- tacular style after 11 minutes. Gerrard spread the ball to Johnson on the right, who cut inside before turning back on to his right foot and rifling a ferocious drive beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the top corner.

Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle Premier League

My number one goal of 2012 is no other than Luis Suarez’s magnificent equaliser against Newcastle. There are not many words left to describe El Pistolero. Luis Suarez comes up with this moment of magic to draw Liverpool level. Jose Enrique hit a long ball over the top for Suarez, who had snuck in between the two Newcastle defenders. He took the ball down brilliantly on his chest, rolled it around Krul and then tapped it into the empty net. What skill!

Follow me on Twitter @MRSSG and visit my site http://mrssteviegsfootballview.wordpress.com/

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AttackoftheKop Mag

Best fans in the world? Not if a torrent of your abuse leads to one of your very own players deleting their personal twitter account. Jonjo Shelvey was the victim of an abundance of abusive twitter messages after the Box- ing Day defeat against a resilient Stoke team that Liverpool have failed to beat away from home in the league for over 20 years. Shelvey seemed to take the full front of Liverpool fans’ frustrations as Brendan Rodgers completed his 19th league game, resulting in the exact same points tally as the ill-fated Roy Hodgson after the same amount of games. One user tweeted: “Jonjo you useless peace of ****! You should have stayed at Black- pool on a permanent loan. #baldwasteofspace” – now, for a start the misuse of the word ‘peace’ and the failure to grasp the simple concept of a permanent transfer should be enough to demonstrate that this so called “fan” is not representative of all of us. But this was one of many tweets sent to Shelvey that night, some of them I’d deem too explicit to feature in this article; inexcusable behaviour to dish out to one of our players- a young midfielder at a tender 20 years of age – simply trying to make a name for himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Making their break through and then cementing their place in the team is a goal for all young starlets, and a goal that they should be free to pursue without the fear of abuse from fans should they put in one bad performance. In an age of instant gratification, fans are quick to forget the ages of some of the players when out there on the pitch. The same fans who abused Shelvey in the aftermath of the Stoke game are ironically likely to be the same fans who labelled him as the next Steven Gerrard no less than a month ago. It is this fickleness that gives fans a bad name. Does anybody remember a young Steven Gerrard having a torrid time against Spurs when put up against David Ginola? Look at the player he has become. Now, I’m not saying Jonjo Shelvey is going to become the next Steven Gerrard but my point is that these young players need to be given the backing and patience to learn, develop and fulfil their potential without the weight of fans expectations on their backs.

The truth is, as highlighted by Brendan Rodgers in his pre-QPR press conference, that we have “players that are 17, 18, and 19 years of age, asked to play key positions in the team.” They have all performed admirably and leave a real sense of optimism for the future. In Sterling, recently signing a long-term contract, we have a winger with the potential to grace our first team - as well as England’s - for many years to come. In Suso, we have our very own little tricky Spaniard who has the potential to be the number 10 we have been craving for so long. In Wisdom, we have a strong, athletic defender who could feature in the back line of our team for years, and in Shelvey we have a midfielder with a natural eye for a pass who has represented England at all lev- els. A player who became Charlton Athletic’s youngest ever goal- scorer and rejected a £3.5m move to Chelsea at 17 years old, only to join the then Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool. But the same word comes with all the above named. Potential. All these players are still so young, and need time to develop. Mistakes will be made along the way, and the same can be said of any young person starting out in any given profession. Foot- ball is no different. We are Liverpool, and we demand 100% from our players at all times, willingness to work hard and sweat blood for the team. Do that and you will endear yourselves to our hearts instantly. You can see the hunger and desire in the young players eyes, driven on by the success stories of players such as Gerrard and Carragher, the epitome of what can be achieved. “I’d play left-back if I had to because you’re playing for Liverpool, so I’d play anywhere, it’s just a pleasure to coming in and working for Liverpool every day.” This quote from Shelvey himself optimises that exact hunger. As very well said by Adam Smith in issue one of Attack of the Kop magazine, Twitter is a very powerful tool – and nothing demonstrates this better than the petition to move Kevin Williams’ inquest forward gathering over 100,000 signatures. Players are by no means immune to criticism, and constructive criticism should be en- couraged, but one of the problems with the internet (although often celebrated as a success) is that it gives a voice to everyone. I’m sure I’m not alone when I scow through football forums and cringe at some of the voices echoed by fans of my club. Problem is with football, everyone thinks they are an expert. The internet - and twitter in particular - can also so easily be a poison to the game and the fan base. You only have to look at the reaction on twitter after a Liverpool draw, let alone defeat. What we see is knee-jerk reactions galore, calls for the manager to be sacked and a torrent of abuse to our very own players. For priding ourselves as the best fans in the world, and dishing out stick to clubs who lack “class,” such behaviour doesn’t ooze class does it? It’s a shame that a handful of fans ruin it, but it really is not the Liverpool way, and not the way of life I have learned to love since the day my love affair with Liverpool Football Club began.

Phil Hammond Twitter: @phil_hammond_7

AttackoftheKop Mag

On the second day of this years January transfer window, Liverpool confirmed the signing of forward Daniel Sturridge on a long-term deal. After narrowly missing out on the Chelsea forward in the summer, Brendan Rodgers made the capture of the 23 year old his priority for January. Most of the work for the deal was done before the window opened. Sturridge had his medical on the 23rd of December, and confirmation that the deal had been completed came about 36 hours after the turn of the New Year. Sturridge has been chosen by the reds to provide some much needed support for Luis Suarez So is he the sort of player that the club is in need of? Absolutely. Since Brendan Rodg- ers has been at the club, he’s always stated that forwards that are able to play anywhere across the front 3/4 positions are the type of attackers he wants to bring in. Sturridge fits in to that profile perfectly. Despite coming through the Manchester City ranks as a central striker, Sturridge was often deployed on the right side of a front 3 whilst at Chelsea. His ability on the ball and his fantastic turn of pace means that he is able to play in both roles at a very good level. Sturridge himself believes that his attributes are best set as a striker, but despite some reports stating otherwise, he claims he has never demanded to play in any position. “I see myself as a striker. I think I perform best there because my attributes, I believe, are best as a central striker. But I have played on the wing and have learned a lot doing so. I›d never refuse to play in that position and I›ve never demanded to play up front, either. For me, whatever the manager wants me to do I will do it and work as hard as I can for the club and the fans.” One of the attributes that Sturridge refers to is his ability to score goals. Despite not prop- erly establishing himself in the team at either Manchester City or Chelsea, Sturridge has never had a problem in front of goal. Only Robin Van Persie, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez take fewer minutes than Sturridge to find the net in The Premier League. Sturridge is the type of explosive attacker we have been missing. He’s not afraid to at- tempt a trick or two, and despite being a very 2 footed player, his left foot can be absolutely lethal. He’s a confident player, and that combined with his goal threat as well as his pace and power can make him a terrific player for Liverpool. His goal record speaks for itself. He is a very instinctive player in front of goal and his shot accuracy is often very good. Give him half a chance and you’ll regularly be

punished. Despite showing frequent glimpses of all of these attributes, he never really es- tablished himself as a regular starter at Chelsea. Many people blamed that on his apparent greed with the ball. Any such argument would be invalid whilst in a red shirt, because whilst playing under Brendan Rodgers, you would be made to play the right pass and look out for teammates at all times. Being greedy and looking for personal glory rather than looking out for teammates is something Rodgers would not allow. Even if he was a bit more selfish than the other players around him, isn’t that what Liver- pool need, someone who believes that they can find the net, and has a real desire to score goals? I’d say so. The type of manager that Rodgers is will give Sturridge a real chance of being a success at the club. The Northern Irishman is a coach more than anything else. He has shown that by improv- ing the likes of Scott Sinclair, Nathan Dyer, Gylfi Sigurdsson, and whilst at Liverpool, Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling, Jonjo Shelvey, Jose Enrique and many more. Rodgers likes to pick up players that have often been written off by other clubs, and improve them. Scott Sinclair, who came through the Chelsea ranks as a youngster, is a prime example of that. He had several loan spells at certain clubs that didn’t go too well, but having managed him as a youngster at Chelsea, Rodgers gave him his chance at Swansea, and Sinclair got himself a big money move to Manchester City in the summer of 2012. Rodgers in- stills confidence into players by putting such belief in to them. The player feels that they have a duty to repay the manager for such faith. Sturridge falls in to this category, and the prospect of Rodgers being able to improve his game even more is a real exciting one. Rodgers is also a terrific tactician. The decision to move Jose Enrique in to a more advanced role for a few games was probably the best out of several tactical adjustments with players that have worked well. After several games in front of his usual left back role, Enrique is now a much better player, and has much more of an attacking instinct than he had before. Rodgers will know that Sturridge has played in several positions, and I have great trust in him to bring out the best of the pacey front man. A lot of people had talked about bringing Theo Walcott to the club before he eventually penned a new deal at Arsenal. Walcott is certainly a player that would’ve fit into the profile that Brendan Rodgers wants. He has a lot of pace, and scores a fair few goals, but I really believe that Sturridge has a lot more to his game. Walcott undoubtedly has pace, but his ability to pick out the right pass often isn’t great. Sturridge has a bulkier build than Walcott, has a similar amount of pace, scores just as many goals (and will probably score more given a consistent run of games like Walcott has had) but also has ability on the ball that I’m not too sure the Arsenal frontman has. The reported fee for Sturridge was £12m, and Rodgers said that claims he was being paid on £80,000 per week were far from accu- rate. I really feel that we got a potentially better player, who’s better suited to the club at this time, at a better deal. Manager Rodgers has made it clear that he believes this is Sturridge’s last chance to make it at a top club. Sturridge has the talent, but many believe he does not have the desire. The early signs suggest completely different. More recently, Rodgers has claimed Sturridge has a real hunger and desire to do well for the club. Any doubts about his attitude were made to look very far off the mark in his first interview with the club. Sturridge looked delighted, and claimed he was ‘humbled’ to be at such a big club. The Birmingham born front man had a unique look of excitement in his eyes when the prospect of playing for the reds at Anfield was mentioned. He came across as a very mature, hungry young man that just wants to play football. Daniel Sturridge looks to be exactly the type of player Liverpool have been missing. If the reds can bring out Sturridge’s ability on a consistent basis, then they really do have a player on their hands.

Jack Sear Twitter: @Jack_Sear_

AttackoftheKop Mag

With Brendan Rodgers philosophy finally coming to fruition at Liverpool, I analyse their season thus far and look at what the future holds for the Merseyside giants Out of darkness comes light. After a tough opening to the domestic season for Liverpool, the Reds are finally beginning to gel under Brendan Rodgers and affect his innovative football philosophy on a consistent basis. Qualification from the UEFA Europe League and a march up the table has given renewed hope to the millions of loyal fans around the world. After a tough start to the season, which saw Liverpool languish in the bottom half of the table alongside relegation candidates, recent evidence suggests a top four finish is genuine possibility. Home form in late 2012/2013 demonstrates Rodgers’ men are finally finding the confidence to assert themselves in front of the Kop and play games at their own tempo. Furthermore the stats don’t lie – Liverpool are passing forward more than any other team in the Premier League this season (except West Ham) and creating the most chances. We analyse Liverpool’s season so far and look at what the rest of the campaign, and longer-term future, holds for the Merseyside giants. After spending much of the early 2012 summer flirting with a range of managers including Andre Villas-Boas and Roberto Martinez, Liverpool finally secured their first choice, prom- ising young Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers, on 1st June. The mission was simple; rebuild Liverpool football club, qualify for the Champions League and integrate some of the young stars into the first team. From a financial point of view the importance of the aforementioned points cannot be understated. The reality is, since 2004, no Barclays Premier League team has spent more on transfers than Liverpool. In addition no side has also recruited a higher number of players and witnessed a greater turnover in the first team squad than the Reds. Of course this needs to be placed in to some kind of perspective. Winning the Champions League, reach- ing another final and winning the FA Cup are just rewards for heavy spending. Factor in a League Cup and success has been relatively consistent, albeit far from overwhelming. The question is, has the reward negated the spend? In short, no. Even the most ardent Liverpool fan will admit to a sense of underachievement in the past three years after a season of promise that resulted in a runner up spot in 08/09. Many pundits

will argue that Liverpool should have won the league that year considering the overall strength of a squad boasting a firing Fernando Torres, a peaking Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso. But the facts remain – Liverpool were runners up. As the clubs greatest manager, Bill Shankly, once remarked, “If you are first, you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.” Times have changed for Liverpool but the yearning to live through such a period remains. So, after the relative underachievement and false dawns of the Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish (return) periods, what can Brendan Rodgers achieve? Firstly, it appears his philosophy will sit well with Liverpool supporters. For a club that built it›s success on the notion of pass and move, the new man’s method of coaching and footballing ideas will work well. It harks back to a bygone era where quality of football mattered on the Kop. Perhaps this innovation is what Liverpool fans have craved for some time now. Perhaps Liverpool didn’t need stability after Rafa Benitez - they needed creativ- ity. With modern coaching methods and an assistant in Colin Pascoe who is well known for his technical and high tempo coaching sessions, Rodgers may just be the perfect fit for Liverpool. The perfect fit, however, can take time to mould into the perfect results. The first three months of the season were littered with inconsistency. Note, the word ‘results’. In spite of the on-going trouble to move into a healthier league position Liverpool were still dominating most games they played. In fact, during the opening three months of the season, it’s difficult to pick out one game in which they were comprehensively outplayed except for Arsenal at Anfield. The issue was almost as simple as poor shot conversion. The Reds were missing chances and being punished for a lack of concentration at the other end. Perhaps having one striker was a difficult scenario for Rodgers – not merely because of the widely reported lack of squad depth, but because the manager likes his forwards to play close together. As he demonstrated at Swansea, he liked Sinclair joining the last line of attack and playing an incisive inverted wingers role off the left. Frequently Sinclair would break the offside trap and penetrate in behind. The reality is, at Liverpool there was nobody to do this. While Sterling has proved to be a scintillating prospect, he is learning his trade thus the quality of his runs can be ques- tioned at times. This of course isn’t to say Sterling won’t improve but movement off the ball comes with experience. Furthermore, the best players are the ones who don’t just move, but move intelligently. In time, Sterling will acquire this talent on a consistent basis. In addition to forwards off the lone striker who tuck in and play higher up the pitch than a traditional winger, Rodgers also enjoyed sending his full backs in to the opposition half. Neil Taylor and Angel Rangel held much of Swnasea’s width throughout last season, ena- bling his players to exercise their advanced technical skills by overloading in the central areas. Perhaps this is why the likes of Joe Allen and Leon Britton touched the ball more than any other player in the Premier League last season. In recent weeks, evidence of Rodgers philosophy taking shape at Liverpool has come to the fore. During the weekend drubbing of Norwich, Glen Johnson played 70% of the game in the opposition half. He was also the widest left sided player. Stats aside, just watching the game was enough – it was visibly clear that Johnson, playing out of position on the left, was told to push higher up and offer the width. While this enabled Liverpool to continue to play cross field passes from right to left and stretch Norwich, it also forced Robert Snodgrass back as he doubled up with Russell Martin. On the other side, Andre Wisdom also played a higher role than usual and perhaps for the first time in his short, but impressive, Liverpool career, was found penetrating in the opposition box. It was the highest the Liverpool full backs had played all season allowing the Reds to overload in the middle and, crucially, in the opposition half.

AttackoftheKop Mag

So how was this possible? Playing Downing on the right has been the first step. As an inverted winger, he is superb at closing down space high up the pitch thus winning the ball back closer to the opposition goal. Rodgers’ theory is common among modern managers; winning the ball 30 yards away from the opposition goal is more likely to yield a productive counter than winning the ball 60 yards away. Downing has also adapted his game in recent months. His average pitch position when receiving the ball is 12% higher than at the same time last season. As a result he has hit more shots and delivered first time assists. With Suarez and Strurridge both playing central roles and alternating between dropping and sitting on the line, space has opened up on the opposite flank. Whether it’s Johnson or Enrique, the left flank appears to be the pre- ferred method of counter attack for Liverpool at the moment. While controlled, built up attacks focus on the right side, balls are frequently switched left to hit at pace. Finally, on this tactical issue, Lucas has also been integral on his return from injury. One of the league’s most intelligent holding midfielders, his endeavour, work rate and stamina is vital in helping cover the left side. On a flank that is occupied by one man, it’s vital that a midfielder can offer the necessary support. Perhaps one of football’s best examples of this was Real Madrid with Roberto Carlos and Zinedine Zidane on the left. As the mercurial Frenchman tucked in, Carlos was left with the entire flank. With Makelele’s energy and intelligence supporting Carlos, the side stayed clear. That said, Carlos’ energy, just like Enrique and Johnson, helps. With Sturridge on board at Liverpool and heavy links to talented players across Europe, it appears Rodgers is also stamping his authority on the make-up of the squad. His days as a youth coach have built his trust in younger players so we can assume the likes of Ster- ling, Suso and Wisdom will be sticking around and becoming an integral part of Liverpool over the coming years. The signing of Sturridge is designed to help on the shot to goal ratio. With three goals in three games, the young England striker has started well. Time will tell as to his long term success, however, as consistency will be the key for the former Chelsea man. As Liverpool progress tactically and bring in the players who the manager sees best ex- ecuting his philosophy, what does the future hold? Off the field, many questions remain. The stadium issue continues to dominate much of the board’s time. Redevelop Anfield? Build new? Either way, for the Reds to compete commer- cially against the powerhouse of the Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea and even Tottenham, it’s an essential cog to the machine. Major sponsor- ship deals with Warrior, Standard Chartered and Chevrolet have given Liverpool a cash injection that needs to be used wisely in the transfer market. There’s little scope for expensive errors at this crucial stage in the Reds future so Rodgers needs to be sure of the players he brings in. Suc- cess on the field will ultimately lead to success off it; just ask Arsenal and Manchester United. A new stadium cannot guarantee a league title or a European Cup; but a league title or European Cup can go a long way to securing the finances for a new stadium. Aside from the numerous talents coming through the academy, on the pitch it appears the Reds are getting stronger as each game passes. Finishing fourth is tough proposition, not because the squad lacks the necessary quality, but because of the battle for the position.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton are realistic contenders for the coveted Champions League spot. Perhaps it will come down to the record of these clubs against each other. As Steven Gerrard eluded to after the Norwich game, the Reds will need to improve their record against those around them if they’re to stand a real chance of achieving fourth. The future is bright for Liverpool and the fans have cause for genuine optimism. The squad is young, funds are available for transfers and for the first time since 2004, a manager has been appointed whose innovation and superb man management skills are winning the players and fans over. For English football, and Liverpool fans, let’s hope this is not another false dawn.

These Football Times http://www.thesefootballtimes.net/ http://www.facebook.com/TheseFootballTimes https://twitter.com/thesefootytimes

AttackoftheKop Mag

Before I get into the deep of this article let me just say that in no way am I suggesting that Jordan Henderson is going to be the next Steven Gerrard. In no way am I suggesting that Jordan Henderson will be a club legend. In no way am I even suggesting that Jordan Hen- derson will definitely become the dynamic midfielder that his potential allows us to imagine. My intentions here are to provide a fair and honest look at Jordan Henderson’s short Liverpool career and the potential for that to span over a longer period than most fans would have liked at the start of September. Let me start with his ‘Price Tag’. Firstly, lazy journalism and un-educated opinions have led to many believing that Liverpool paid Sunderland £20million for his services. This is not true. I do not have the exact figures but only minor research leaves you closer to the £13million marker. Not so bad. Jordan Henderson is a central midfielder. He was a central midfielder coming through the ranks at Sunderland. He is a central midfielder for England Under 21’s. A team he is also a long-term captain of. His perceived excellence of crossing a ball led to him being utilised as a right midfielder during his time at Sunderland in the youth ranks and occasionally when playing for the first team. I say it again… Jordan Henderson is a central midfielder. All of his attributes and his game that he has designed have been built around him being in the centre of the pitch. Anyone who plays the sport knows that playing in the middle is a completely different game to playing our wide. The reasons behind Liverpool signing Jordan Henderson will never be totally revealed but I’m sure the much-maligned ‘Moneyball’ policy came into it. From Dalglish’s point of view, his apparent versatility was a lure. Liverpool fans may not have known much of this young lad when he signed. So judgement on him could only be made by his performances on the field. The problem being that he was being judged as a right midfielder. Throughout last season I had many heated discussions with many football fans about Henderson. What I considered to be my winning argument was the following: Who do you consider to be the second best central midfielder in the Premier League? (Steven Gerrard being the obvious first choice, and the only exception to this argument.) Now, at the time the same names were being thrown about, Frank Lampard. Paul Scholes. Michael Carrick (Strangely). Scott Parker. Yaya Toure. You catch the gist. Now, I’m sure we’d all agree that these players had a better season than Jordan Henderson. Imagine though, if any of these players were asked to play as a right midfielder.

Imagine the effect that would have on their game and subsequently the lack of impact they would have on the pitch. Imagine Jamie Carragher playing up-front. Imagine Luis Suarez playing at right back. How can we judge Jordan Henderson as a Liverpool player after one season of being played out of position? Shame on us. Shame on all of us. We’re all familiar with the phrase. “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Jordan Henderson is not a Jack-of-all-Trades. He is barely even a Jack of two trades. He is, however, capable of being a master of one. That one trade for me is a central midfielder. The midfield game has changed in recent years. The years of having two central midfield players who have everything are sloping away. Steven Gerrard perhaps being the last of a dying breed. Let me move this forward to this season, to right now. How our feelings towards Jordan Henderson differ to our feelings towards him last year. What he brings to the team and the midfield in particular is energy and a quite remarkable level in that. Of course, his qualities stretch a lot further than this but this is what separates him from our other central players. This is also what our performances have been lacking. He’s tidy in possession. He has an eye for a pass. He is incredibly disciplined and he is an absolute work- horse. His attitude is exemplary. He could have cut and run, took the deal to Fulham and started again. He’s stronger than that. Not once last season did he complain about being played out of position. Not once. If Brendan Rodgers is to be successful in transforming this team into the one that he often talks about then Jordan Henderson is currently of massive importance. Rodgers’ idea is to have a midfield 3 playing as a 1-2 triangle. With ‘1’ forming the defensive base. At the moment the midfield is playing as a 2-1 triangle. So, 2 forming the defensive base. There are many reasons for this but the main reason being our lack of pressing energy and our vulnerability after conceding possession. For me, Henderson is the man to help the transi- tion. One quote stands out for me and is perhaps a big reason why Henderson is perhaps creating his own role in the team. “You win the ball back when you are 30 metres from their goal, not 80.” If Rodgers is serious about this way of playing then Henderson’s part to play in this team is far from over, in fact, you could argue it is only just beginning. Ladies and Gentleman I give you (potentially) Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s defensive attacking central midfielder.

Mike Hawes

AttackoftheKop Mag

Sometimes being a writer is easy. What you want to say is exactly the same as what people want to hear. You preach to the choir and the whole thing becomes one big backslap- ping adventure. Like writing about immigrants for the Daily Mail. Other times, though, you have to make a choice to say something necessary that not everyone wants to hear. This is one of those times. Before Liverpool played Manchester United at Old Trafford in January there was a word trending on Twitter in the Merseyside region that was enough to make me feel ashamed. “Munich”. I, like everyone else, heard the songs emanating around Old Trafford during the match. Chants of “murderers” and “always the victims, it’s never your fault”. It’s sickening, and it’s not the first time it’s happened. But “Munich” wasn’t trending because the people of Merseyside were using Twitter to recommend it as a holiday destination. It was being used as a pawn in the continued game of one-upmanship that some parts of our fanbase like to play against Manchester United fans. And it’s got to stop. How many times have we as a fan base complained that Manchester United fans con- tinually sing songs about Hillsborough without being picked up on it by the mainstream media? How often do we ask why the FA does nothing about such an incredibly sensitive issue? But where exactly is our moral high ground if we can’t even get our own house in order? I readily accept that there is a huge difference between a minority of people of Twitter and virtually the entire crowd inside a stadium. However I’m also aware that by calling myself a Liverpool supporter I become part of a club that anyone can join - no matter how stupid they may be. So we’re left with a choice. Shake our heads when we hear of people calling themselves Liverpool supporters and trying to score points by using Munich as a taunt. Or fight back against them, because here’s the thing. In the Munich Air Disa-

saster, as well as at Hillsborough and, indeed, Heysel, people lost their lives. Innocent people. People involved in sport whether as a player or spectator. And that is not something that should ever be used to prove a point. I hate Manchester United. I hate them with the passion of a thousand suns. I despise their smug, overly cocky glory-hunting supporters and their “do what we want” attitude. They continue to be one of our closest rivals and there is plenty to mock them over. Ask them why they feel the need to sing about us every time they play - even if it’s an away game against West Ham. Cheer ironically when they sing “sign on, sign on ‘cos you’ll never get a job”, safe in the knowledge that unemployment statistics for Manchester are equally as bad as they are in Liverpool - if not worse. Smile at the hypocrisy of them telling Luis Suarez that he “knows what is” whilst remembering them declaring how people from Ji-Sung Park’s home country “eat dog”. Be happy knowing that they, like most of the people in the media, never bothered to read the FA’s report into the Suarez/Evra affair when they declare “he called him Negrito”. Warn them that the motorway’s shut and they might struggle to get back to Milton Keynes safely. But if you, for one second, even consider mentioning anything to do with Munich, give your head a wobble and sort yourself out. More importantly, if you hear someone else do it then have a word. Having the Liver Bird on your chest means being able to be proud. To stand tall and know that you can walk through storms with your head held high. It also means having to make the difficult choices. To tell people who should know better that they represent not only Liverpool Football Club but also all of the supporters of that wonderful institution. Yes Manchester United fans are just as bad. But we wouldn’t accept “they did it first” as an excuse from a pre-school child, so there’s no way it will be accepted from grown men who should know better. Evil prevails when good people do nothing. Don’t sink to the level of those we despise. Stand up, be proud - and show some respect.

Adam Smith Follow me on Twitter: @adam_smith_82

AttackoftheKop Mag

Glen Johnson is probably the picture boy of the attacking full back era in England. You can raise me Kyle Walker, but he’s a young pretender. Glen was at this role whilst Kyle Walker was still in the reserves. So, Glen is the picture boy of the attacking full back; you’re probably thinking… Please do partake in some explanation of this role. That would be greatly appreciated and do you know what… I think I shall. The new role of the full back in the last few years has been to get forward, overlap the winger and ultimately play as a second winger when the team was going forward. Teams that use them to great effect are those that play counter-attacking football; Spurs have to be a great example of this with Walker. Glen is simply fantastic at this role; he goes from being stood up to full sprint speed in an intimidating amount of time. He has a fine crossing ability, the technique to beat a man and comes inside with his cannon of a left peg. He has certainly been extremely influential for Liverpool this season, dragging the team forward and popping up with some outrageous goals. Although Johnson, is not the original product; he’s just an improvement. Before Glen, Alvaro Arbeloa was getting up the Liverpool right flank; certainly not as much as his successor or to the same effective, but he certainly was an option on that flank. Johnson, however, is a completely different creature. He’s much more effective going forward than Arbeloa with his burst of speed, strength and generally technical ability. Glen isn’t afraid of launching a shot from 25 yards with his left foot, where another full back may look to pass. He isn’t afraid of slowing play down to then launch another dart into the box. He truly is the ultimate attacking full back. Although, there is one criticism that has been leveled at Glen Johnson for all of the plaudits he receives for his attacking role. It’s the same old phrase and I’ll admit that I’ve said it, the guy to your right has probably said it and no doubt it’s something that you’ve either thought or said yourselves; Glen Johnson cannot defend. You’ve probably noticed the amount of times that he is out of position and commented, “If you’re going to go forward Glen, GET BACK AS WELL!”. I know that I have. There’s also been the issue of tackling, he would either hesitate and not put his foot in when he should have done and then give away a free kick in a dangerous position, or he’d dive in and be left sat on his backside; useless to the defence. Saying these things now, does not mean that I am not a Glen Johnson fan. Nor does it make me a hypocrite for what I’m about to say or for the further explanation of these criti- cisms. Let’s make that clear now. Glen Johnson is Liverpool’s right back and also right midfielder; I shall explain. Downing, when on the right is the right-winger, but he is a little more in field, to allow for Glen to go on the overlap. He may or may not mean to do this, or it may be part of the plan, but he comes inside more. Most probably due to him being left footed, which allows Glen to gallivant forward and exploit the space that this gives him. Excellent for the team going forward, another dimension and something that stretches a defence even more. Perfect.

Perhaps this isn’t as good as it sounds. I use the Aston Villa game as an example; a game where we dominated possession and territory yet lost 3-1. Now the goals weren’t Glen’s fault directly but the role he plays has its downsides. If the opposition has quick wingers or an agile midfielder, we are at risk of getting hit on the counter-attack. Something that has occurred for a while, not just under Brendan Rodgers but since we signed Glen; our right hand side has been prone to being overloaded by teams when he’s ventured forward and they hit us on the break. In the Villa game, both our full backs were caught too high up the pitch and they took advantage of the space, time and the two on two, as well as, at times, three on two. That’s the danger of the attacking full back. The sacrifice of defensive duties for attacking freedom and sometimes, you pay. Liverpool have certainly paid for it at times. Frustrating- ly. Now, that argument isn’t something to attack Glen with or to criticise him this season for it. He’s been superb this season and rightly deserves the plaudits he has received for his performances. More importantly, Glen this season has shown his versatility. Filling in at left back in many games whilst Enrique struggled for form and fitness with a potential protégé in Andrew Wisdom attempted his role on the right. Johnson’s performances on the left have been outstanding, just like they have been when he has been on the right. He’s gone forward outstandingly and defended extremely well, but one thing I have noticed this season com- pared to others with Glen’s rampaging runs forward; He’s picked his time. When he was allowed free reign of the right side, he’s ensured to dominate the space and control the flank. My example here would be against West Ham, where he was virtually the entire right flank on my Four- FourTwo influence chart. Whilst he’s also sat back at times and allowed others to go forward, ensuring that we weren’t caught out, or that he could cover for other players who have gone forward. He’s been much more intelligent with both sides of his game but also as a senior member of the squad; he’s been loud on the pitch, encouraging the team and organ- izing the defence. Something strange to see the player who I’ve heard as tactically “clueless” by one ‘fan’ sat near me in the Centenary Stand. I’m a Glen fan, I didn’t used to be but with how he’s playing and the performances he’s churning out consistently, how can’t you be? He’s done his job and then some. He’s been the ultimate team player with no complaints to playing out of position for most of the season. If this development keeps going then all those who ‘buzz’ off Kyle Walker may have to remember that he’s a less experienced version of an original. Glen Johnson; the stereotypical attacking full back but who shows a defensive ability and positional awareness; who’d have thought? Certainly not me, I’ll happily admit to being wrong on Glen. To those who were like me, will you admit to being wrong? To those who stuck by him, through it all, you can say what you’ve always wanted to say now; I told you so.

Adam Warren Heayns @awh91 Author of A View from the Centenary Stand.

AttackoftheKop Mag

It’s been a question much asked by Liverpool fans since Brendan Rodgers took over, “are we in a realistic position to get a Champions League place this season?” Some have laughed at it, saying we won’t be good enough for a few seasons to get there, whereas some have been a bit more positive and thought why not? I’m now going to explain why I believe it’s more than doable this season. Looking at the teams around us, I can’t see why we can’t get Champions League football at Anfield next season. Everton, Spurs, Arsenal are all capable of falling behind and I don’t believe West Brom, as impressive as they’ve been this season so far, have the staying power to sustain a realistic challenge for that coveted fourth spot. Plus can you imagine Peter Odemwingie and Steven Reid up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? No, me neither. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a tough second half of the season for the fight for fourth. Spurs have got to be solid favourites to get fourth at present; Andre Villas Boas has done brilliantly with them this season. They boast some impressive results, taking four points from Manchester United (including 3 at Old Trafford) as well as beating Liverpool at the Lane. They have quality players, one of the best wingers around at the minute in Gareth Bale, who, when on form, cannot be touched. Jermaine Defoe, who has been rejuvenated under AVB, is in great form, and the signing of Moussa Dembele from Fulham has shown himself as a top purchase. The only thing with Spurs which may hinder them is they’re quite inconsistent. Not necessar- ily with losses, as they haven’t lost a game since their North London derby drubbing against Arsenal in November. Their inconsistences lie with their draws, drawing half of their last six games. And two of those, they’d be highly disappointed not to take all points, a home game against Stoke and away against QPR. Spurs face ties against all of the top seven before the season is over, so it’s quite a tough run in for them. White Hart Lane is tur ning into a fortress, and half of their top six fixtures are at home, so they’ll be looking for maximum points from those.

Arsenal have been the height of inconsistency this year. Sometimes they can put in a superb performance, like the 5-2 win over Spurs, but then play poorly against Swansea and Chelsea. Theo Walcott’s new deal could be key for them, having scored 15 for the Gunners in all competitions this year cementing him as their top scorer. Olivier Giroud hasn’t exactly set the world alight at the Emirates, and Arsene Wenger may be regretting his “choice” when he chose Giroud over Demba Ba. Santi Carzola has been a great signing, probably the best player in their squad so far this season, but one man can’t change the fortunes of a team. However, they have potentially the easier run in, playing four of the top six, matches against Liverpool, Man Utd and Everton at home, while they visit Spurs away. Sometimes, when Arsenal are on form, they are unplayable. Ask Spurs, ask Newcastle. They’ve both been on the end of thumping defeats by the Gunners. But against Swansea, they have shown they are vulnerable, and Wenger will want that eradicating as soon as possible to mount the challenge for fourth, which is as “good as a trophy” for him. For me, Everton are this season’s surprise package. Typically, Everton start off poorly but pick up in the second half of the season. This time however, they’ve started strongly and maintained it throughout the course of the season. They’ve had a few impressive results, beating Man Utd in the first game of the season, a 90th minute comeback to beat Spurs 2-1, good draws at home to Liverpool after coming back from two goals down and away at Manchester City. On paper, they may not have the best squad, but out of the four teams in contention, they’re the team who play most like a team. They work for each other and the manager, and don’t give up in games. Jelavic this season has been off the pace, but Fellaini has been in the form of his life this year, creating chances and taking them himself. Everton for me have the hardest run in, playing each of the top six, and only one of them is at home, against Man City. So that’s Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liv- erpool and Spurs all away from home, which will really be the acid test for Moyes’ side to see if they have the staying power to sustain a challenge for fourth as the season nears a close. If they can keep their players fit, and continue as they are, they can be up there with the rest, despite the toughest run in. Right, our team. Saving the best until last. If Arsenal are the height of inconsistency, then we are the Gods of inconsistency. Although our earlier form in the season has been rollercoaster like, we seem to have reached a steady ground since December. We have won 4 and lost 2 of the last 6 (as of 22/1/13), which doesn’t suggest finding form, but considering one of the games was away at Old Trafford, and a horror show against Aston Villa, it’s not been too bad. Performances have dramatically improved, scoring 17 goals in our 6 games, and looking more likely to kill of a game when we take a lead, as opposed to sitting back. Luis Suarez has been, well, Luis Suarez, scoring 20 goals so far this season. The midfield three of Lucas, Gerrard and Hen- derson/Allen/Shelvey have impressed, and Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger have been great at the back. The run in is a pretty tricky one, as we play five of the top six. Impressive draws away to champions Manchester City and Arsenal have set up home ties versus Spurs, Everton and Chelsea with optimism. Turning Anfield into a fortress as we are striving to do means that those three games are more than winnable. Daniel Sturridge has been in superb form since he joined, scoring freely in his opening games. For the first time in a while, we can see what Brendan is trying to do at the club, and it looks like if we stick at it, we can really achieve good things under his management.

Prediction: 4th - Liverpool. 5th - Arsenal. 6th - Tottenham. 7th - Everton Martin Turner

AttackoftheKop Mag

Over the past year, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique have been very good fullbacks for Liverpool Football Club. They have always had a tendency to venture forward, especially Johnson, and have also been solid when it comes to their defensive duties. However, the change of management in the summer saw Brendan Rodgers replace Kenny Dalglish, and the Irishman wasted no time in tweaking their positions slightly into a more advanced ‘wing-back’ role. The new position gives the two players a lot more freedom to attack, which in my opinion has really brought out the best in Jose Enrique. He didn’t start the season well, but when Rodgers decided to give the Spaniard a stint on the left wing, he came into his own. He provided a couple of assists and netted his first goal. The attacking switch relieved Enrique’s reluctance to get forward from that left back position. Now, in this wingback role he’s able to attack ef- fectively, as well as being able to get back and defend. This means he is, in effect, able to contribute positively to both defence and attack, making him very useful to Rodgers’ system. The new wingback system doesn’t really affect Glen Johnson’s play that much. He has always been an attacking fullback, and so in his new position he basically plays as he did before. However, now he knows he is able to attack and be sure of cover behind him, his marauding runs forward do have more freedom about them. Consequently he, like Enrique, has already managed to contribute with some goals and assists this season. So it would seem that our defence is much improved thanks to the introduction of the wingback role. On the face of it, that is true. However, there is always the imminent risk of injury. We saw this in the game against QPR when Enrique limped off nursing his hamstring. With a thin squad, it would be beneficial to bring in adept cover in the summer. I know this seems like a long way away, but it is important to plan ahead. Obviously there are some that immediately spring to mind who would be brilliant, such as Phillip Lahm or Marcelo, both of whom are hugely attacking full backs, but unfortunately they are both clearly out of our price range. One person who could be a viable option is Adriano, who plays for Barce- lona. He is equally talented on both feet, meaning he could play on either side of the pitch, and at 28, though he probably still has quite a few years left in him, should not come at a premium price. If we were able to get him for around £15 million, I would say he would be a great buy. To summarise, the introduction of the wingback role to our club by Brendan Rodgers has been extremely effective. It has allowed us to become more attacking, and has brought the best out of Johnson and Enrique. The only real issue is that we don’t have much back-up, and so it would be great if we could look to bring someone in when it comes to summer.

James Martins

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Thanks for reading the second issue of AttackoftheKop Mag! Be sure to check out next month's issue, too!

We'd like to extend our thanks to all the contributors to the magazine. Adam Heayns These Football Times Adam Smith Jeremy Michaels Martin Turner Andrew Hewitt

Katie Price Mike Hawes Jack Sear Phil Hammon James Martin

& Steven Halliwell (Ste_Halliwell11) for the graphics.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always looking for writers, so if you fancy featuring in the magazine, e-mail us at editor@attackofthekop.co.uk and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be sure to get back to you.

Publication by Sikander Najib (@AttackoftheKop) & Arun Lal (@ TheStep_Over)