APRIL 6 — To paraphrase a famous song from the “Sound of Music.”
It has been a case of another week, another game, another loss and that takes Kenny Dalglish’s record as Liverpool manager into territories unheard of since, er . . . well, the previous man at the helm, namely Roy Hodgson.
So, the Anfield legend — in his supposed second coming, for the faithful Kopites — who replaced the dull and dour Hodgson comes up with the same outcome after more than twice the number of games under his charge.
No, this is not about knocking Liverpool or Dalglish but just a fair point about the performances and results that do invite questions. It is unfortunate, for a club of great pedigree, but such is the situation with the Merseysiders.
The Reds seem to be in free fall in the English Premier League and while they have cemented themselves as a cup team, they are slipping and sliding into a strange valley.
Ultimately, the blame falls on the players, many of whom are simply playing below par. Luis Suarez has been rather sprightly but he too was very pedestrian against Newcastle United, in the Reds’ 2-0 loss, last weekend.
Why have the players not improved under Dalglish? Or, as in the case of Jordan Henderson, even gone backwards!
It may seem too simple an explanation and oft-repeated, but there just does not seem to be clear direction on the pitch.
They may have enough senior players out there — Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Craig Bellamy, Dirk Kuyt and Pepe Reina (yes, him too!) — but it may well be the lead the manager seems to be taking as the Scot keeps on talking about the Carling Cup win.
I am sure I need not remind ‘Pool fans that the “all-important” trophy was won on penalties against a side from a lower division, and which is lingering in mid-table. So, what this has ultimately meant for Liverpool is that this cup win is deemed progress and do forgive us should Liverpool win the FA Cup too.
The lowering of standards certainly does not bode well for the future of the club as the premier league title clearly has faded into the background. Maybe Graeme Souness was right when he described Liverpool as being in meltdown towards the end of the Rafa Benitez era.
That the opponents were, for the large part, funded by the overpriced transfer fee paid for their then-top striker, Andy Carroll, in January 2011 turned out to be the ultimate irony for the five-time European champions.
We move on to Spurs and the discovery of a wonderful talented Welshman who terrorised the right side of the Swansea City defence.
He was strong and powerful and whipped in great crosses with his left foot, as I have been repeatedly saying he is very capable of during the London club’s recent slump.
The boy Gareth Bale certainly has the talent to go right to the top, don’t you think?
It was not really rocket science or was it, Harry?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
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