Not since 2002/03 have we won the first match of the season when we’re away.

So three points from today’s start of the long long Tour De PremierShip (seems to be starting earlier and earlier each year) was imperative. And also crucial if we are to keep the Benitez-baiters at the door.

Ooh no excuses for Rafa anymore” they cry. As if he’s been shit up til now…Well ‘excuse’ me - this guy has brought us 2 Champions League finals in 3 years, and an FA Cup so far in his shortish reign.

But the reign from Spain as they say… It is about time Liverpool made a real and proper effort to win the league, or at least finish within El Hadj Diouf distance of the team that finished first..

So to Villa, a potentially tricky game if O’Neill’s motivational magic was still in operation. But Villa fans are in two minds about their signings, and sure enough Luke Young was the only one who looked really hot

Follow up:

today for them. And perhaps Taylor, the replacement Goalie as they couldn’t count on Carson being as we’d lent him.

Plus Ca Change is the way some would sum up the match. We should’ve won it 4-1, but we didn’t. So to all appearances are Liverpool in the same position ? Not taking chances, not finishing teams off ? Still a bit shaky inbetween defence and midfield ? and so forth ?

 

Well yes and no. For me, the exciting news was the ease at which the young matador, Torres el toro fitted into the side. He didn’t let himself be pushed around and wave his hands all upset when he was repeatedly fouled, no, he showed some real class, definite pace, AND the willingness to run at defenders with the ball. My god, one of our strikers doing that ?

 

Anyway, as ever Dirk’s non stop running caused our first goal, looking more like Fairclough every day, Kuyt chased the ball to flick it back in, only for Laursen to score hisfinest flick shot ever. In his own goal.

 

They got a soft penalty, Riise ran around a lot. Arbeloa had a mixed game for me, Carragher or Gerrard deserved man of the match, Carra losing it for the handball, and Gerrard winning it for bending like Beckham. Just cos we’ve got US owners, doesn’t mean Gerrard has to play like a player in the MSL but he’s welcome to repeat that feat…

Babel looked terrific, real imagination and well, just, different stuff. The kind of thing Luis would do, only Babel’s about 90mph faster.

But he also missed an easy shot, so all in all a good start, but not perfect. Voronin ran his stout legs off too, and it’ll be nice to see them gel together as the season goes on.

Pennant needs to show pennance for being petulant and needs to learn to cross the ball to one of us, but otherwise he and Finnan worked well together.

3 points and happy days - already we’re better offthan last season, and as a bonus ball we don’t have Neil Warnock whinging on post match. But we do have O’Nearly… oh well… Off to Toulouse. To win.