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·Below an article in Singapore's The NewPaper(Edited)
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Damn, I'm good
Told you long ago that Liverpool wasn't too hot, didn't I?
BY EDWIN YEO
May 15, 2000
Bradford 1 Liverpool 0
I HATE to kick a man when he's down. But in Liverpool's case, I'll make an exception.
Just let me repeat the scoreline from its final league game of the season: Bradford 1 Liverpool 0.
No top-three finish in the English Premiership, no Champions League place next season and no Liverpudlians thumping their chests to claim how Liverpool has once more returned to greatness.
Frankly, they could have saved themselves a lot of grief if they had read my articles over the past few months.
A couple of months ago, after Liverpool had beaten Newcastle 2-1, I said its then second position had more to do with luck than strength, and that all Liverpool deserved was a trip to the Uefa Cup.
After watching Bradford beat Liverpool last night, I've got only one thing to say. Damn, I'm good.
Liverpudlians hated me because they thought I was just talking out of my hatred for Liverpool, not realising that I had seen the signs of Pool's decline even then, and understood its success was built on shaky ground.
Don't believe me, believe the facts. While Manchester United talked about getting its 100th league goal of the season (which it didn't, thank goodness, otherwise we'd never have heard the end of it), Liverpool scored barely half that, 51.
Of the top 10 teams, only Aston Villa has scored fewer goals. But then again, Villa doesn't boast of a £50 million ($130 million) strikeforce. Pool does. That's almost £1 milli on for every goal Pool had scored in the league this season.
And how about those long shots from Patrik Berger? In the first half of the season, he was putting in almost every long shot.
Luck, said I. Skill, cried Pool fans, while calling for my head at the same time. Berger's skill must have deserted him in the last five games, for he has been blasting those shots sky high, as though aiming for a three-point conversion in rugby. How do your feet taste, Liverpudlians?
The worst thing, for Liverpudlians anyway, is the Reds can't hide behind the excuse of injuries, as it had almost its full squad to select from. Even long-term casualty Robbie Fowler was back in action.
Coach Gerard Houllier has a lot to think about in the summer, and a scouting trip at Euro 2000 has to be on the cards.
Meanwhile, just allow me to enjoy my moment of triumph, and watch Liverpool fans cry once again, at a season which promised so much, but delivered so little.
---------------
Damn, I'm good
Told you long ago that Liverpool wasn't too hot, didn't I?
BY EDWIN YEO
May 15, 2000
Bradford 1 Liverpool 0
I HATE to kick a man when he's down. But in Liverpool's case, I'll make an exception.
Just let me repeat the scoreline from its final league game of the season: Bradford 1 Liverpool 0.
No top-three finish in the English Premiership, no Champions League place next season and no Liverpudlians thumping their chests to claim how Liverpool has once more returned to greatness.
Frankly, they could have saved themselves a lot of grief if they had read my articles over the past few months.
A couple of months ago, after Liverpool had beaten Newcastle 2-1, I said its then second position had more to do with luck than strength, and that all Liverpool deserved was a trip to the Uefa Cup.
After watching Bradford beat Liverpool last night, I've got only one thing to say. Damn, I'm good.
Liverpudlians hated me because they thought I was just talking out of my hatred for Liverpool, not realising that I had seen the signs of Pool's decline even then, and understood its success was built on shaky ground.
Don't believe me, believe the facts. While Manchester United talked about getting its 100th league goal of the season (which it didn't, thank goodness, otherwise we'd never have heard the end of it), Liverpool scored barely half that, 51.
Of the top 10 teams, only Aston Villa has scored fewer goals. But then again, Villa doesn't boast of a £50 million ($130 million) strikeforce. Pool does. That's almost £1 milli on for every goal Pool had scored in the league this season.
And how about those long shots from Patrik Berger? In the first half of the season, he was putting in almost every long shot.
Luck, said I. Skill, cried Pool fans, while calling for my head at the same time. Berger's skill must have deserted him in the last five games, for he has been blasting those shots sky high, as though aiming for a three-point conversion in rugby. How do your feet taste, Liverpudlians?
The worst thing, for Liverpudlians anyway, is the Reds can't hide behind the excuse of injuries, as it had almost its full squad to select from. Even long-term casualty Robbie Fowler was back in action.
Coach Gerard Houllier has a lot to think about in the summer, and a scouting trip at Euro 2000 has to be on the cards.
Meanwhile, just allow me to enjoy my moment of triumph, and watch Liverpool fans cry once again, at a season which promised so much, but delivered so little.
