THE REDS 2-0 THE BORO

The Gunners took third spot by beating Manchester City 24 hours earlier, but Gerrard struck with two goals in five minutes during the second half of Wednesday night's match at Anfield.

The England midfielder took his tally for the season to 11 goals, netting from 25 yards before converting a penalty.

It means a win over Wigan at Anfield on Saturday will make sure of Champions League football next season.

Boss Rafael Benitez wanted things tied up nicely ahead of the first leg of the European double-header with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.

Wigan boss Paul Jewell watched this routine Reds success and will be aware the Anfield men were playing way below par.

But it was enough to snuff out a very ordinary Middlesbrough side, who are grateful to some decent early-season performances for keeping them out of a relegation dogfight.

Liverpool rested Steve Finnan and Xabi Alonso from the side who produced a poor performance which resulted in a goalless draw at Manchester City on Saturday, while Dirk Kuyt was relegated to the bench.

Boss Rafael Benitez switched Alvaro Arbeloa from left to right-back and brought in Mohamed Sissoko, Boudewijn Zenden and Peter Crouch, leaving Gerrard again as the support striker.

Boro brought Andrew Davies, Lee Cattermole, Emanuel Pogatetz and James Morrison into the side that lost at Aston Villa last time out.

Much of the opening period was as bad as Liverpool's indifferent display at Eastlands - one wayward drive from Aiyegbeni Yakubu was all either side could muster early on.

But at least Jermaine Pennant was looking lively and he produced a succession of crosses which needed the best attention of Boro's back-line.

It took a solid block from Jonathan Woodgate to stop Crouch firing home from another Pennant cross which reached him on the far post.

Pennant continued to look the one player capable of opening up Boro's defence, and a 28th-minute run and cross on the right resulted in a shot sidefooted just wide by Sissoko.

Arbeloa and Pennant then combined to produce space for Gerrard to fire in a 20-yard effort just wide of Mark Schwarzer's right-hand post.

Liverpool were having the bulk of possession but their pressure was not quick enough to unsettle Boro's rearguard.

Boro barely ventured out of their own half for long spells, but they were almost presented with a gift in the 40th minute when Jamie Carragher advanced forward but slipped over in the act of passing.

The blunder allowed Fabio Rochemback to surge free into the Liverpool half - only to fire wide from the edge of the box.

Sissoko then burst into Boro's half and played the ball to Pennant - but hopelessly mishit the return ball well wide from 18 yards. It summed up the first period.

Things started to look brighter for Liverpool five minutes into the second half when Javier Mascherano saw his header crack against the bar following Zenden's corner.

Then Sissoko, who had struggled during the first half and looked to be carrying an injury, was replaced by Kuyt in the 51st minute.

Liverpool should have scored five minutes later when Gerrard's long pass sent John Arne Riise away down the left.

When the Norwegian's cross arrived in the box Kuyt's shot was blocked and the ball was laid back for Zenden to fire over from six yards.

The Reds made the breakthrough in the 58th minute when Zenden's neat pass dropped into Gerrard's path 25 yards out - and the captain crashed the ball low past Schwarzer.

Davies, booked for diving a minute after Liverpool's goal, then conceded a penalty in the 64th minute when he pushed Crouch as the big striker was preparing to head a Pennant cross.

Gerrard crashed home the spot-kick and the points were safe.

But the England man was not finished - still embarking on surging runs looking for his hat-trick.

Riise saw a 25-yard effort skim past a post, before Gerrard was denied the chance of a third goal with three minutes left when he was replaced by Mark Gonzalez.

NEW DEAL FOR FINNAN

Steve Finnan is the latest Liverpool player to be on the verge of an extended Anfield contract.

Finnan’s name doesn’t lend itself well to the back-page headlines of ‘Gerronimo’ or ‘24 Carra Gold’ but nevertheless, he has been one of our most consistent players of the last few years.

Everyone is quick to point out Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher after a good game, but Finnan makes the news as often as he makes a mistake. Does this bother him? The reds right-back says not.

"I’ve never minded not getting plaudits. It’s a question I’ve been asked many times, but I’m really not bothered," he says.

"It’s always been more important to me that the team plays well.

"There are other lads in the team who are playing well but don’t always get the praise. In football you always expect the lads who are getting the goals to get most attention, and they deserve it.

"I’m happy with how things are going for me, but more especially for the team."

Liverpool were looking hard at signing Daniel Alves, and with the arrival of Alvaro Arbeola (who is capable of playing right back), Finnan has been under pressure for his place before. The Irishman has already seen two right backs enter and leave Anfield, failing to take his place - Josemi and Jan Kromkamp. Now the player is looking at cementing his future at Anfield.

"I would definitely like to sign for more time, but that’s up to other people."

"Everyone can see the club is heading in the right direction with the new owners. It’s an exciting time. Everyone wants to be a part of it, especially me."

The Irish international full-back will be offered better terms along with Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso, Jamie Carragher and Pepe Reina.

While all the focus remains on Anfield’s four big guns who are deep in negotiations, it’s emerged Finnan has joined the list of those Rafa Benitez wants to keep at the club.

It will be a just reward for the Irish international, who recovered from an uneasy start to his Liverpool career to become an unsung hero of the Champions League and FA Cup winning side.

The right-back has seen off the challenge of several new right sided defenders since joining from Fulham in 2003, and is now firmly established as the first choice full-back.

He turns 31 next week, but such has been his level of consistency and invaluable experience, Benitez was in no doubt the defender was worth an extension.

It’s a move which is sure to delight Finnan, who spoke only last week of his hope to extend his terms which have only a year left to run after this season.


The former Valencia boss paid tribute to the way in which Finnan has developed since Benitez took the reins at the club nearly three years ago.

"When I first arrived I did not know too much about Finnan," claims Benitez. "I'd had reports but the season before I arrived he was not playing well, or at least not at this level but he has improved, and for three years now he has been playing well.

"Maybe he has had to win me over but Gerard Houllier told me he was a very good player, even though he is not the sort of player people talk too much about. He has quality and understands the game. I have seen that all in these last few years."

The 31-year-old has probably been the Premiership's most consistent right-back this season and there is no way boss Rafael Benitez will allow him to leave for nothing at the end of next season.

Editor's Notes

The private man, Steve Finnan's contributions over the last couple of years will finally be rewarded with the offer of a new improved contract.

Liverpool have seen players like Josemi and Jan Kromkamp coming to displaced him but without any success.

Together with Dietmar Hamann and Sami Hyypia, he is probably one of Gerard Houllier's more successful signings.

Finnan holds the distinction of being the ONLY player in English League history to have appeared in every domestic divisions and every European Competitions (Champions League, UEFA Cup, Super Cup, World Club Championship and World Cup).

He was previously with Welling United (Nationwide Conference), Notts County (Third Division), and Fulham (Second, First Division and Premier League) before signing for Liverpool in 2003.

His character, mannerism and attitude is akin to the 'Liverpool culture', being modest and always putting in the extra effort.

Though it would not be an easy task to oust him from his position, age is not on his side and Rafa could not rely on him to be present throughout the whole season.

Nonetheless, he fully deserves the extended contract. Over the span of his illustrious career he has the championship medals of all the divisions but still one eludes him.

Lets just hope that his continual stay would help him complete his collections of trophies won.

REAL'S THIRD ATTEMPT REJECTED

Rafael Benitez has rejected a lucrative offer from Real Madrid - their third attempt to sign him - who will now target Jose Mourinho.

Madrid had twice previously attempted to prise Benitez away from Anfield, with the Spaniard ending speculation last summer by signing a four-year contract committing him to Liverpool until 2010.

Benitez has previously been reluctant to be too specific about what has been going on behind the scenes. The Anfield boss has chosen to publicly pledge his future to the Reds by announcing he rejected a third bid from his former club to take over from Fabio Capello at the end of the season.

Benitez's statement will go off like a bombshell at Stamford Bridge where it will crank up speculation about Mourinho moving to the Bernabeu ahead of the Champions League semi-final clashes with Chelsea.

But it will also hurt the pride of Mourinho - a bitter rival of Benitez - in that it tells the Portuguese manager that he was never the first choice of the Madrid club to take over. It is intriguing that the Benitez camp are happy to let it be known who was top of Madrid's wish list the week before their Champions League semi-final first leg against Mourinho's Chelsea.

The Liverpool manager said: "I said no to Real when they offered me more money than I get here, even though there maybe were greater expectations.

Benitez believes much more can be achieved in the years ahead under new American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

That is why before his long meeting with the multi-millionaires on April 1, the day after the impressive beating of Arsenal, he rejected a second approach to take charge of Real Madrid, the club most people in Spain felt he could not refuse.

"Madrid may be my town, but I am happy here and pleased with everything. We want to stay because of the new ideas and the new owners are very exciting.

"The meeting confirmed my hopes for the club. The things we were talking about were similar. It is so positive for the future. And I could not ignore the noise and support I received from the supporters last week against Eindhoven, it was tremendous and moving. I repeat, I am very happy here."

"It was not a difficult decision. I have an objective here, I explained that when I spoke to the new owners and they told me they would be supportive. It is clear that Madrid was an opportunity but I said 'no' - because I have a lot of confidence in the future here and I believe we can win more trophies and there are a lot of positive things in the future.

"It's not easy to find a club where the majority of supporters are behind you and you have good staff, good players and the future can be brilliant. These things are more important than anything else. My family are happy, I am happy and we feel the future of the club will be brilliant."

It was suggested by new joint-owner Tom Hicks that Benitez turned his back on Madrid because his wife told him to - but Benitez maintains the decision was his own.

He continued: "I do not like to talk about my family, but they are really happy here at Liverpool and I am prepared to have my daughter with a Scouse accent, even though it is sometimes a problem for me!

"I want to make it clear that I said no to a good offer. That is because we are happy, it is not a question of money.

"The atmosphere here in Liverpool is fantastic. You know that at this club you can work and improve. For me, the future looks brighter here than anywhere else."

He added: "When I was with Valencia, I was really pleased with the club and the supporters but I had another opportunity made available to me.

"I could see that Liverpool was a great project for the future, and that's the reason that I wanted to come here and that's the reason why I want to stay here.

"When I decided to come here, I had also been given a good offer from Valencia to stay. But it is not a big difference when you are happy with your salary.

"This is a project, it is my club, my team, my players and the fans are always behind us. I am really happy here for all these things together.

"In football we are lucky because we earn a lot of money, and for me the difference is not the money. It's the support of the people, the possibility of the club, the staff and everything around the club that makes the difference."

Benitez also made it clear he wants all talk of new player contracts to stop ahead of the first leg of the European double-header against Chelsea. Liverpool opened talks for new deals for Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Xabi Alonso, Jose Reina and Luis Garcia a couple of weeks ago.

Benitez has confirmed all discussions are going well but explained: "I do not want to talk any more about the contract discussions."

"I wanted us to show them I had confidence in them and I would like to see all of them here in the future - the people in charge of the club agree."

"But we are trying to progress, I tried to be positive with them and show the players we want to progress. But if we cannot do it quickly, we will wait and talk after the Champions League."

"It is clear we want to keep these players and to keep them happy here. I have confidence because the conversations were good, but maybe now for this next few weeks it is time to finish talking.

"If we have an agreement okay, if we do not have an agreement we have shown them that we are interested in their futures. But now I want to focus on football and the Champions League."

Editor's Notes

Rafa Benitez has publicly announced the attempted offer by Real Madrid which he duely rejected for the third time.

Real Madrid has been insistent on luring Benitez to replace the outgoing Fabio Capello. But the fuss is less about the rejection but more of the timing on the release of this statement.

With the Champions League double header against ChelSKeA just around the corner, it is believed that Rafa is indirectly having a dig at Jose MOANrinho.

MOANrinho may be the self-proclaimed 'special one' but the public is now fully aware who the most wanted manager in Europe is.

And previously there were rumours that Liverpool actually shortlisted the then Porto manager as their first choice manager which he rejected and took on ChelSKeA's millions instead. But the trust is that, MOANrinho wasn't even in the picture, Rafa has always been the first choice.

And it was a popular appointment as one couldn't imagine having a rude, loudmouth gaffer running the club. If we had wanted one, we could have simply appoint Phil 'Pinocchio' Thompson instead.

I reckon this report would not only give re-assurance to the present players but also to the players that Rafa wants to bring in that he is here to stay. One thing for sure, handshakes between Benitez and MOANrinho will become a rarity!

TROTTERS CONSIDER CISSE

Bolton Wanderers are being linked with a move for Liverpool striker Djbril Cisse who looks set to leave Anfield in the summer.

The French international has failed to impress during a season-long loan spell with Marseille and is set to return to Anfield at the end of the season with his career in limbo.

Cisse has spent this season on-loan with Olympique Marseille, but hasn't done enough to convince management to make his deal permanent.

Olympique Marseille president Pape Diouf admits they're yet to discuss a permanent deal with Liverpool for the striker.

Cisse is enduring a difficult period at LOM and making an outright £8 million switch appears slim. Last night, Diouf, said the decision on whether to take up the option of buying Cisse "has still not been discussed".

Cisse has been booed by LOM fans in recent weeks and could only make Albert Emon's bench for the 4-1 victory over Lille at the weekend, with various reports stating that the French club will not pay the €12million (£8.2million) fee needed to make his stay permanent.

However, former Marseille striker Jean-Pierre Papin has defended the contribution of Cisse, stating the on-loan Liverpool man is still struggling to hit peak form after his serious injury.

"Don't forget that this boy has suffered a six-month break twice over," Papin told L'Equipe.

"Normally, when you suffer such injuries you need one year to come back to peak form, but nobody says it.

"He lacks a little confidence - the last second, the last gesture, everything that makes a goalscorer - but he hasn't lost it.

"It is simple, he doesn't play with 100 per cent of his talent, maybe 70 per cent.

"People try to demolish him, that is unfair."

Frank Ribery, a colleague at OM and with Les Bleus, feels Cisse just needs time.

"It is difficult for him," said the attacking midfielder.

He came here with the intention of reviving his career but scoring is never easy.

"He is lacking playing-time after his serious injury. We must wait, give him a bit of time - I want to tell him to keep his confidence."

The striker wants to stay in England and, according to reports in France, Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce is lining up a summer raid for the player as he is keen to link him up with Nicolas Anelka and El-Hadji Diouf.

Liverpool will not be able to get anywhere near the £13million they forked out for Cisse and if Allardyce can pick him up on the cheap, like he did with Diouf, then a deal could be on.

Allardyce is also hoping he will be able to offer the striker Uefa Cup football and if he wants to stay in England, a short switch to the Reebok Stadium may appeal.

Editor's Notes

After Djibril Cisse's finest honour with Liverpool in Istanbul, it seems that his career is fast heading downhill. Once a feared and prolific striker in the French Ligue with Auxerre, he has been reduced to a joke by the fans.

Not in the good books of Rafa Benitez, it seems he was sent out on a season-long loan to Olympique Marseille with an option of a permanent signing. But he arrived with a heavy shoulder of expectation which he failed to live up with. He has also failed to endear to the Marseille fans with his sometimes lazy and whining attitude.

It seems that Cisse is destined to make his return to the EPL but I reckon Rafa would be open to any offers for the misfiring striker.

Sam Allardyce has stated his interest for the player but only at the right price. I believe that Big Sam is looking for a rockbottom bargain from Liverpool. Allardyce has been reknowned of resurrecting the career for players on a downward spiral. He is also said to be keen to linked up Cisse and fellow French International, former Liverpool striker Nikolas Anelka and another former reds infamously labelled by Gerard Houllier as the 'spitting camel', El-Hadji Diouf.

Allardyce seems to have a fixation over former Liverpool players. He actually signed Dietmar Hamann only for the player to later denounce the transfer. Bolton has also been linked with Robbie Fowler and Sami Hyypia.

I imagine that Liverpool would want the Cisse episode to be settled quickly and they might just negotiate an offer that Bolton will not refuse, probably in the range of £6 million.

HILLSBOROUGH MEMORIAL

HILLSBOROUGH MEMORIAL

This sunday, 15 April 2007, LFC fans all over the world will commemorate 18 years since the club's most unforgetable moment of tragedy. The Hillsborough Disaster.
To all of you who's not familiar with the dreadful event, here's what happened as written in the club's site:

"On April 15th 1989, over 25,000 Liverpool supporters travelled down to Hillsborough to watch the FA Cup semi-final match with Nottingham Forest. 96 of them never returned. The sun had been shining and what should have been a fantastic day for both the club and the fans turned into the scene of the most horrific football disaster the English game has ever seen.
96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death in the Leppings Lane end just after kick-off. Football in England and Liverpool Football Club, in particular, would never be the same again."


TESTIMONIAL OF TRAGEDY AND SOLIDARITY
To understand the great impact of what happened that day i'm going to post this testimonial I read in the kerrydalestreet.co.uk (a glasgow celtic fansite)

I have never considered putting my memories of that fateful day into words, but after reading Tommy's post I feel obliged to try.

Before I do, can I just tell you something about me and my brother (this will become clearer later). I'm over 6 feet 2 and my brother is 6 feet 5, we are both large people and both a bit fat.

We had been in the Leppings Lane before the Forest game. Liverpool V Sheff Wed a couple of times in the League and Liverpool V Arsenal (FA Cup semi final).

During the Arsenal semi final, at one point during the game, both of us (along with all the other people in that pen) lost our feet. I mean the pressure of the crowd actually moved us sideways towards the middle, fortunately we were able to retain our footing and nothing serious happened.

When Liverpool were drawn against Forest and the venue was announced as Hillsborough, I can remember Peter Robinson saying Liverpool should be allocated the Kop end and Forest given the Leppings Lane end. We are a bigger Club than Forest and obviously have bigger support.

I think the Police intervened and said if this were to happen, the fans would "mix" together outside as Forest travelled up from the South side of the City and Liverpool entered from the North.

We set off via car very early that day and I think we hit roadworks when entering Sheffield. We parked up in a housing estate about three miles from the ground and had plenty of time to walk up.

As we walked closer and closer to the ground with other Liverpool supporters, it seemed odd that very few people stopped off to visit the pubs we walked past. We decided not to bother having any beer and got some coke and snacks from a local shop.

We turned into Leppings Lane and made our way into the ground. As you may recall we had been here before, we entered the terraces via the right hand entrance at the side. We even had time to go back down to the gents and then get some coffees.

As time moved on, it was obvious other people had looked and learnt like us. It was cramped in the side section and very hot. Liverpool attacked the Kop end and I think Peter Beardsley had a shot that was either saved by their goalie or maybe hit the bar.

It was then that it happened, an almighty surge from the Liverpool crowd in the middle section. We thought a barrier had been uprooted, and then it struck home.

Liverpool supporters were climbing onto the steel fences in the front screaming at the police to open the locked gates, I even saw police pushing and hitting supporters back down into the terrace, they had no idea what was going on.

As time passed, we helped what seemed like hundreds of Liverpool fans climb into our area of the ground. Each one screaming at the Police for not opening the gates, each one telling us people had died.

Eventually they opened the gates and lots of the crowd got onto the pitch, to ease the pressure. Christ!!! What a sight. I’d seen dead bodies before but nothing like this, it was carnage. If I live to be 100, I will never forget what I saw that day.

Some fans started putting bodies onto advertising boards and carried them up to the Main Stand, instinctively we helped to. Time stood still, I have no idea what time we got out the ground but can remember a Sheffield bloke giving us a cup of tea and letting us phone home to let our loved ones know we were ok.

The drive home seemed like forever, it was very quiet.

As day’s passed by Liverpool opened the ground so that people could pay their condolences to the 96. The first time I walked into Anfield tears ran down my face, we walked up to the Kop to our usual place and just stood and looked the full horror of Hillsborough struck home.

Scarf’s, flags, football shirts from any team you could mention where spread out on the Spion Kop it was an awesome sight. The most moving sight I have ever seen in my life has to be the thousands of bouquets laid on the Kop end side of the pitch, how a tragedy like this could produce something so beautiful. I visited Anfield four times during that period, each time the Kop and the pitch grew into something more beautiful and more incredible. It was ablaze of colour, red and white, blue and white and a sea of flowers.

As time passed Liverpool FC announced they would play their first football game against Glasgow Celtic away as a mark of respect. You may recall last year, I told you years and years ago I got badly beaten up by Celtic supporters; another ghost had to be laid to rest.

The game was on a Sunday, we didn’t have tickets and set off by car early that Sunday morning. I was a bag of nerves each mile we got nearer to Glasgow my stomach tightened and tightened and I remembered last time.

We arrived in Glasgow and surprisingly found a car park very close to the ground.

There were hundreds and hundreds of Liverpool supporters already there, my heart missed a beat when one of the lads said lets go for a beer. We got inside some Celtic pub which was half full of Liverpool fans. We got a bevy and managed to find a speck to sit down.

A huge green and white honey monster of a Glasgow Celtic supporter pulled up a chair and sat with us, I was petrified. He and his mates turned out to be fantastic people, they didn’t ask if we wanted a drink, they insisted we let them get them in. They would not let us return the compliment. The honey monster was called Dave what a great person he was / is.

We left the pub and headed for the ground with our new found friends. We approached the Liverpool end and said thanks for the company, we are going in here.

Dave and his mates said don’t go in there, come around here with us, you will enjoy it better. We walked around the ground and joined the line to get into “The Jungle”. Loads of Liverpool fans were ahead of us, so we went in. It must have taken us 10 minutes to get onto the terrace, most of the Celtic supporters kept hugging us and saying they feel for us.

We got onto the terrace to be greeted with a Liverpool banner in our end which said something like “The people of Merseyside would like to thank the people of Glasgow for your support during these difficult times”. As kick off approached the noise from the Liverpool end grew and grew, then it happened.

Celtic supporters and Liverpool supporters began to sing you’ll never walk alone together, the tears flowed from all of us and our new found Celtic mates. Surely one of the most moving sights we had ever experienced.

The game from what I can remember was a slow tempo affair, Liverpool won 5.1
I think, each Liverpool goal was celebrated with more pleasure by the Celtic fans. After the game the big drive home, Dave and his mates walked back to the car with us, as we walked back Celtic supporters hung their Celtic scarves on us shaked hands and winked.

Dave gave me his Celtic shirt and I gave him my Liverpool scarf that I had had for years and years. Some years later we met up with Dave and the lads at Rushies testimonial and repaid his kindness by treating them to some Liverpool hospitality. We even turned up at Southalls testimonial and met them then.

The tragedy at least helped me to learn to trust and respect Celtic supporters, brilliant people I’ll never forget you.

Once the Reds were ready to play football again, we played Everton at Goodison in a night game. Somehow we managed to get tickets for the Everton end, it was full of Liverpool and Everton supporters. The flag we had seen in Glasgow was displayed from the top tier of the Park End stand.

The banter between the two sets of supporters was good, just before the game started we had a minute’s silence which was impeccably adhered to and they played “You’ll never walk alone” over the Everton tannoy system.

Of course the ground was awash with a sea of red and white, and then the Everton supporters behind us held their blue and white scarfs up and joined in to sing
“You’ll never walk alone”.

Grown men Liverpool and Everton supporters were crying side by side as our anthem boomed out at Goodison. It’s a shame so much bitterness has crept into our relationship with some Everton fans, lets hope time can heal their bitterness towards us.

I hope you understand that I wrote this amended version to try explain not just my experience and thoughts, but to try and express the thoughts of other Liverpool supporters just like me from that era.

The 96 victims.

These people were like you and me, just normal honest supporters very proud to be called Liverpool supporters, lucky and proud to get hold of tickets for the match.

They didn’t deserve to die that afternoon and as long as Liverpool Football Club is in existence, they will never be forgotten by the Club and indeed you and me.


BOYCOTT THE SCUM TABLOID
On the Tuesday following the disaster, Kelvin MacKenzie, then editor of The Sun, a British tabloid newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, used the front page headline 'THE TRUTH', with three sub-headlines: 'Some fans picked pockets of victims'; 'Some fans urinated on the brave cops'; 'Some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life'.

The story accompanying these headlines claimed that 'drunken Liverpool fans viciously attacked rescue workers as they tried to revive victims' and 'police officers, firemen and ambulance crew were punched, kicked and urinated upon'. A quote, attributed to an unnamed policeman, claimed that a dead girl had been abused and that Liverpool fans 'were openly urinating on us and the bodies of the dead'.

In their history of The Sun, Peter Chippendale and Chris Horrie wrote:
'As MacKenzie's layout was seen by more and more people, a collective shudder ran through the office [but] MacKenzie's dominance was so total there was nobody left in the organisation who could rein him in except Murdoch. [Everyone] seemed paralysed, "looking like rabbits in the headlights", as one hack described them. The error staring them in the face was too glaring. It obviously wasn't a silly mistake; nor was it a simple oversight. Nobody really had any comment on it—they just took one look and went away shaking their heads in wonder at the enormity of it. It was a "classic smear".'

Lord Justice Taylor's official inquiry into the disaster disparaged The Sun's story and was unequivocal as to the disaster's cause:
'The real cause of the Hillsborough disaster [was] overcrowding, the main reason for the disaster was the failure of police control.'

Following The Sun's report, the newspaper was boycotted by most newsagents in Liverpool, with many refusing to stock the tabloid and large numbers of readers cancelling orders and even refusing to buy from shops which did stock the newspaper.


writers note:
it's 18 years since, but the family of the victims are still in search for justice and the real truth on what happened and who's responsible. 18 years and the scum editor Kelvin MacKenzie still has the gut to try to justify his inhuman actions of spreading lies about LFC supporters in his filthy newspaper.
Someday justice will prevail, JFT 96! Boycott The S*n, don't read, post quotes, buy that toilet newspaper.

visit:http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/home.shtm" target="_blank">http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/home.shtm for more information on this

we're LFC supporters! we'll never walk alone.

Cheers, YNWA!

RAFA BACKED MOMO

Apr 12, '07 7:25 AM for group thisisanfield

Rafael Benitez has today backed Momo Sissoko to return to top form after suffering the first dip of his Anfield career.

Benitez accepts Sissoko hasn't been at his powerful best over recent weeks but he insists it's only natural for a young player who has had injury problems to experience a drop in their performance levels.

"People still don't realise how young Momo is," said Benitez. "He's moved to a big club in a new country and played really well for a long time, but he's not an experienced player.

"We're not talking about someone like Didi Hamann who developed over a long period of his career, but a player who is still learning part of the game.

"When Momo came back from his shoulder injury, he played at a really high level immediately. Sometimes this happens when you come back, but then after four or five games it's harder to play at the same consistency if you've not played for a long time.

"Before this he also had a serious eye injury. I don't think that's still troubling him, but he did really well to come back so quickly from this. He's been really unlucky with injuries for the last two years and still came back strong.

"When you set a really high standard people expect you to play this way in every game. That's not easy, particularly for a young player, but Momo has been really good for us.

"I'm not worried about him. There are times in a season when it's more difficult and with Mascherano coming here and playing well, that adds to the competition. But we all know Momo's qualities."

Editor's Notes

The knives are sharpened and the juries are out in full force criticizing Momo Sissoko.

The ones that initially were so admirable of his qualities even comparing him to the likes of Patrik Vieira, are not dissing his performances. The hands that feed him are now biting him back.

Its not uncommon though the way the media is that most of the time they do not know what they are talking about. But more evidently, its the arrival of Javier Mascherano that has made them draw the comparisons.

Sissoko is a great destroyer but he does lack that little bit of eye for distributions. The fact that he came back doubly quick from injuries showed the fighting qualities in him and he is never one to whine about over the press. With time, and games under his belt, he will definitely fulfill the prophecy of becoming a great Liverpool player.

The truth is that, Sissoko is a good player but having got a better established player in Mascherano, he pales in comparison. The bottomline is, Liverpool have got a good player in Sissoko and a great one in Mascherano.

Right now, he needs the support and encouragement from his peers and the manager which is exactly what Rafa is doing.

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