Digging It

"You won't have a breakthrough unless you make a break through."

Yes sir. You don't dig it, you don't get it.

We always proclaim Jeremiah 29:11 which says "For I (God) know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." Then we go home satisfied, knowing that that verse is promised unto us. Thank you very much God.

But that's it. We stop THERE. We get too comfortable with our lives. That's why a lot of us do not have breakthrough in our lives, and when we see others having superb breakthroughs, sharing great testimonies about how God has work in them, we wonder why God doesn't do the same for us.

When actually much of it is our own fault.

We need not only claim it, but also dig for it. We need to discover what is God's plan for us, not just sit around and wait. It's a matter of whether or not we REALISE the urgency deep in our hearts.

Yes we attend church on Sunday, get all hyped up and say we love God and that we want to serve Him forever. We proclaim He is great and will put Him first in our lives. After service, all is forgotten. Typical? Yeah, 'cause that's us.

I started this post with the quote, and I'll end it with the quote:

"You won't have a breakthrough unless you make a break through."

Your choice.

~eNd~

They Were Not Good... Enough?

Roy Hogdson's reign as manager saw many criticisms from many people (particular from a certain Jamie. Not Carragher though). All of them made (or decided to make) the same decision - Roy is a good manager, but the players are not good enough.

A month plus into his sacking, and the very same players, under a different manager, are on a roll. Yes, four games winning streak, four consecutive clean sheets, two back-to-back away wins since 17 months ago, and confidence restored. And now that Jamie is saying Liverpool has got a very good squad. Contradictory? Ask him.

Some also argued however, that yes Roy is a good manager, but only for certain clubs, which is why he's been recently linked with the job to West Bromwich Albion. But one thing is for sure now: He's not good enough for Liverpool.

For those who are still stubborn, tell me: How can the very same Christian Poulsen that was taunted by fans a few months back, be a good player now? How can THE Raul Meireless who went 16 games without a goal for Roy, scored 4 goals in 5 games for Kenny? And yes even though he left, Torres, in 5 games, managed to score half the amount of goals Roy managed to get out of him in more than half a year!

The difference is simple: knowing how to use the players to their best potential. Roy didn't know how to; Kenny did. And I'm not saying that everything Roy did was wrong; I'm kind of glad he gave the reserves a run out at the Europa League. Still, Roy's tactics were enough to see Liverpool go close to the bottom. Now, we're challenging for a Champions League spot.

And indeed, what a turn-around it has been (minus the Torres departure). Enough said. Next up - Wigan.

~eNd~

Erm... Karma's a bitch? XD

What does his face tell you?

I'll tell you instead:

Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1

And yes make that four wins in a row, four clean sheets in a row, and back to back away victories since 17 months ago.

~eNd~

Let It Rip

~eNd~

Kenny-lution

3 wins in a row. 3 clean sheets in a row. Goals all around. Boy it's been a long time since Liverpool had this feeling.

The feel good factor placed by Roy Hodgson certainly didn't last long; the feel good factor injected by Kenny Dalglish is certainly going to last. You want to know why? I came up with a certain theory, and it's simple:

Roy's method is to always wait and go on the counter. Hoofing long balls towards the striker, hoping to build play from there. Kenny's method however, is to always pass and move, and more importantly, GET THE GOAL 1ST. If you've realize, bar Manchester United, all of the games Kenny is in charge has seen Liverpool TAKE THE LEAD 1ST.

See the difference between a negative and positive approach? It took Roy Hodgson 8 games before winning the next (against Blackburn Rovers at home). Kenny is ALREADY ON A 3 MATCH WINNING STREAK.

Also, in Roy's 1st 5 games in charge, Liverpool only managed 4 goals (N'gog, Torres, Gerrard x2). In Kenny's 1st 5, his side scored double the amount (9 goals - Meireless x3, Torres x3, Kuyt, Suarez and Panstil OG)!!! Not only that, Roy's 1st 5 games saw Liverpool conceded 7 goals and two clean sheets, compared to only 3 goals conceded in Kenny's reign. Talk about big difference.

Not only that. Kenny's 1st month in charge already saw him put money to good use, signing Suarez and Carroll, while letting Torres and Babel go. At least Kenny knew his priorities, which is a striker (though he didn't expect Torres to leave so soon I think). Roy however, went on and sign Joe Cole, Poulsen, Konchesky, and Meireless, which all, bar the last one, are not figuring much under Kenny. One might argue though, that at that time, the previous Liverpool owners of Gillet and Hicks were still in charge, but with the sale of Mascherano, surely it has generated some money. Not only that, choosing not to sell Babel, giving him hope that he can play yet putting him on the bench most of the time? Surely that's poor man management.

Next, it's the words spoken out that makes a difference as well. When Roy was in charge, his press conference was left much to be desired, and when a defeat to our fiery neighbours was considered "one of the best performance I've ever since", something's terribly wrong. I can't judge Kenny yet, but from what I've heard so far, he's proper with his words, never letting anything out if it's not confirmed, speaking highly of players etc.

Lastly though, it's the expectations for the club. Roy was "looking" to turn Liverpool into a mid-table club; Kenny wants "higher than 7th". In fact, thanks to him, we can look forward to returning to Champions League football. The changes and hope he brings about.

Next up: Chelsea. The club that one particular striker left for. It's going to be a fiery one, but Chelsea can be beaten. Fingers cross. We Never Walk Alone.

~eNd~

Ohh Ye of Little Faith

God's timing is always perfect. He never makes a mistake. Even if it seems like a mistake to you.

Boy. How I wish this can so easily stick to my mind, 'cause if it does, it'll make my life a whole lot easier. I won't have to worry about the things happening around me. I just have to make sure that the decisions I make are in line with God's will.

Happy Chinese New Year to all my readers and friends. Hope it's a happy one, though the weather is not. A "take-care" message to all my friends who are living in Johor. Flood.

~eNd~

He Has Gone; They Have Come

Come tomorrow night's match against Stoke City at Anfield, there will be a particular name that has been on the team sheet since 2007, missing.

Not because he's injured. Not because his wife is on labour. Not because he's suspended. For once, it's a TOTALLY DIFFERENT REASON.

He left.

No one saw it coming? In a way. No one was expecting it? Can't say so. But not so soon. Not now anyways. But worse of all, it's the team he left for, a certain blue team in London that I don't want to name.

He left no explanation. He left no farewell message. He left Liverpool almost no time to find a replacement. He just.... left.

Of course, he did not leave cheap. 50 million is a lot of money. In fact, a British record. Still, it left lots of Liverpool fans across the globe hurting. LOTS. Including me.

Many questions are left unanswered, though it's sort of answered in some ways. He wants to leave to play for a better club, and believes that in Chelsea, he found it. He wants success in England, which he believes in Chelsea, he'll get it. He wants to play better football, which he believes that in Chelsea, he'll receive it. In other words, these are things that Liverpool can't provide.

Even the arrival of Kenny Dalglish couldn't convince him to stay. Dalglish was already starting a new revolution, yet Torres has waited enough. Apparently.

So this is to Torres: Thanks for the goals and the memories, but please don't come back. I hope you won't regret leaving for Chelsea, which I doubt you will. Still, all the best. On the bench that is.

I quote a fellow Singaporean Red who said this:

"The club doesn't fight for you to play. You fight to play for the club."

So, with that money, Liverpool signed two strikers in Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. The former, an Uruguayan international who previously played for Ajax Amsterdam, with a phenomenal scoring record; the latter, an up coming England star, with 11 goals in 19 games in his 1st BPL season already.

It sort of covers up (a bit) of the hurt Torres left us with, though one wonders if these two players will do the same as Torres in the future. Nevertheless, Liverpool's future looks bright again, especially if Dalglish knows how to use these two properly. If he does know how to, we're in for a title fight (maybe).

Liverpool's anthem always sings "You Never Walk Alone". The new signings won't, but someone in that blue stripe in London will.

~eNd~