Formula Max?

The tides are definitely turning in the world of Formula 1, what we thought would be a straight forward season for the Silver (or are they black now?) Arrows isn't really straight forward for Toto and Co. Those pesky Red Bull's are back with their leader Christian Horner to upset the apple cart, but they're only upsetting it for Mercedes-Benz and their loyal support base or which many only discovered F1 in the past 4 years because they rest of us are thoroughly enjoying the competitive nature that this season is throwing at us each and every race week. From strategies to tyre compounds, its been eventful to say the least and with "Super Max" extending his lead this past weekend to 32 points over current champion Lewis Hamilton, it ensures that this season is going to be guaranteed excitement all the way through. Lewis has to dig deeper and not just rely on thinking of the late Madiba everyday to get his 8th world championship title. While most would agree that his team need to do more to assist him, his fan base would argue that its the driver not the car, so whatever the case maybe, Mercedes -Benz in general need to find something special for the upcoming British GP at Silverstone to ensure Lewis stays in the race for that record 8th world title. 

One cannot fault the work Red Bull Racing have done, with the inclusion of their new second driver, Checo Perez, he is proving to be a worthy of that seat while not only assist the team but also Max Verstappen in getting where they are now. It's all working beautifully for them and there is no better example than the Austrian GP which saw Max qualify on pole but found himself behind after a few pitstops but having the pace and the tyres to fight back for first spot and claim victory, much to the delight of his supporters in attendance. Also how great is it to see spectators back in the stands? I know we were grateful to have racing last year but a big part of the sport is having the fans present and getting that whole atmosphere on race day, its just such a mood lifter to have them back in the stands creating that vibe for the teams and the driver. 

Another great aspect of this season is seeing the youngsters pull through, the likes of Lando Norris, Charles LeClerc, George Russell and Pierre Gasly all showing their metal and not afraid of giving it their all on the track. George was unlucky to miss out on his first points finish last week but after showing his worth while driving for Mercedes last year in a few races, we all know the potential talent that lies there. Norris has been simply sublime so far, out racing his much more experienced team mate Daniel Ricciardo for most of this season. Getting his Mclaren to 3rd position at the Austrian GP and finishing 5th the weekend before that only shows that there is grit behind that boyish charm. Many are ear marking him to take over the mantle from Lewis as Britains next great F1 driver and you can see why but if Russell finds himself a competitive car, it could be an interesting battle between those two. 

I tweeted on Saturday that the less said about Ferrari, the better and truth be told they didn't have the worst race but as a life long fan, seeing that Red car finishing in 5th and 8th place does not feel great. Credit to Carlos for fighting for that 5th spot in what is a tough race for the Scudeira as the track is pace focused and didn't suit the car at all but the guys in Maranello have some serious head scratching to do. For the other teams like Aston Martin Racing, Alpha Tauri and Williams, they also have their work cut out watching the front runners dominate week in and week out but the mini battles that occur in the midfield do prove to be rather entertaining as well. It's these battles that add character to the overall race as it would just down right boring watching the top two teams win over and over again. The season is set up nicely and we're not even halfway through yet, I cannot wait to see how the rest of this race calendar plays out. 

Never Give Up

We all still remember the second leg semi-final against Barcelona FC at Anfield. It has been written into folklore as the biggest European night that Europe, let alone Anfield has ever seen. That night before the match, with Mo Salah, watching from the stands, he wore a shirt that said "never give up" and while the task seemed ominous, the team never gave up. Needed 4 goals and a clean sheet to go through, they achieved the impossible and did it. A match which both legs would be worthy of a final in itself but it setup Liverpool FC to win their 6th European title and then went on to conquer the world. Tonight, the task is very similar and while the team has every chance to turn over Madrid as they have done in the past, the task at hand is different and lacking one very special thing, the crowd. 

It was pretty evident since the restart of the league last year, Anfield without a crowd doesn't hold no fear to opponents. Liverpool are coming off their first win at home after 6 straight defeats, something that was practically unfathomable last year before Covid. While this Real Madrid team might not be of the same caliber that dismantled Liverpool in the Final of 2018, they are still worthy opponents, waiting to strike when we are most vulnerable as shown in the first leg. We didn't play all that badly, sure the first half was dire but the mistakes that led to the goals were school boy to say the least. When we did up the tempo in the second half, we had them on the ropes, so there is enough in our team to do the impossible again. 

While Anfield lacks their 12th man, the stadium is full of history and under the lights, it has its own charm. We need the players to pick their heads up tonight, look at where they are playing, who they are playing for. Channel their inner self to prove to the world, the fans and more importantly, themselves that they can accomplish the impossible. With Klopp there, I don't think it will be difficult to achieve this, Madrid will no doubt have this in mind but the team need to realise that they have the backing off not only the fans in Liverpool tonight but around the world and we will be watching every second hoping for the best, and hope that they NEVER GIVE UP. 

January Slump

Liverpool fans of days gone by won't be that surprised to what we're witnessing at the moment from our team as for years gone by, January was always our worst performing month. It was almost inevitable year on year that the team would lose form as a collective. No idea how or why but it used to happen and frustrate the living daylights out of the supporters as we would lose valuable ground on the league table. We've enjoyed a good few years under Jurgen Klopp and he seemed to have gotten us out of that terrible patch over the past three seasons but this year its come back to bite us and bite us hard! We're 22 days into the new year and we still haven't registered a league win as yet with two draws and two losses to show for it. We're 6 points behind the league leaders and in 4th position. Normally, any other club won't see this as a bad thing as we're only 19 games into the season but when you look at our position last year, where we were 13 points clear of second place at this stage, you begin to worry. What went wrong? Are we not the best team in the land anymore? Are the players tired? Are other teams figuring us out? Did someone curse the team? Well stranger things have happened as the events of the year has shown us so far but I don't see this as a massive panic for the team as certain supporters are acting like at the moment. 

It's probably a mixture of reasons for the off form, the injury list has been a long one for the team and for a long time where most players have been playing more often than normal, so fatigue is a major issue at the moment. Also teams have been studying us and figuring out our weaknesses of which they are hardly much so the next best thing to do is to kill the game off by putting more men behind the ball. Often there are times where the teams have 8 players at the back trying to fend off our attacks, now this is by no means an excuse, we're Liverpool FC, we need to find a way to break these teams down but how is it so difficult for us at the moment? Well, my assumption is apart from the tiredness of the players, it also has to do with the motivation, I know this seems a bit daft in the greater scheme of things but I noticed that the lack of a crowd has really had an effect on us, and last nights first home loss since 2016 just goes to prove that the effect of the 12th man was missed. More often than not in the past, it was the crowd that lifted the spirits of the players and got us over the line, now with the pandemic, its not possible. The playing of the fan chants is nice but that roar of Anfield was missing last night!

Whatever the reason for this slump, I hope it goes away quick because we still have much to fight for and Jurgen knows this, the players know this so its a mental game at the moment. We need one game to kick-start things and the players can grow from there. I'm not talking about another 7 goal mauling, even a dodgy 1-0 win will do for us at the moment. Next league opponents are Spurs away, no easy feat and Jose smells blood and will want to go for the kill, we need three points from that game and there's nothing else that matters for us at the moment. We can do it with the players we have so its up to them to turn things around on the field. 

 

F1 2020 Recap

It's been a strange year of note but many were glad when the FIA decided to go ahead with the 2020 season despite the pandemic and to say they pulled it off is doing them an injustice as the season played out almost 100% with most of those involved hardly being affected by the virus and gave us, the fans a season to remember! Lewis went on to equal Michael Schumacher's record by winning his 7th title this year but apart from Lewis running away with the title, there were some interesting battles in the top 10 places and saw a lot of relatively smaller teams showing their grit and metal when it came to fighting for points places. 

I suppose that is what I enjoyed the most about this season, while we always knew the other drivers, we never really gave them the attention as we were always focused on the bigger teams and their drivers. With the disaster season that Ferrari had, it gave the other teams like Racing Point, Mclaren and Renault the opportunity to close the gap on not so much Mercedes because as per the norm, they were on another level this season, Red Bull had their fair share of disappointments and highlights as well, the best coming in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi which saw Max claim victory at the Yas Marina circuit. 

With the host of drivers playing musical chairs during the season, next years grid will look rather interesting, the biggest shock came last week when Red Bull announced that they've ditched Alex Albon and have offered the second seat to Sergio Perez who will partner Max Verstappen. It's an interesting combination as both drivers are pretty racy and while we all know Red Bull have no rules when it comes to their drivers, so it will be one to keep an eye on. Ferrari have a lot of work to do in the off season with Binotto even claiming that fans should not expect too much from them next year as they will only have a car that will be ready to compete in 2022, not the kinda thing the Tifosi would want to hear but lets just hope that comment was made to throw off the competitors, also with the appointment of the new Ferrari CEO John Alkann this month, he will definitely have something to say about the total embarrassment of a season that they had. 

Vettel's move to Aston Martin Racing will be an interesting one, little to nothing is known about that team or the car but one thing is for sure, if they give Seb something decent he will prove his worth. Many fans would tell you, if Seb had Lewis's car, he would have achieved the same, which many Hamilton supporters rubbished very quickly but if saw what George Russell was able to do with Lewis car at Sakhir, many were left scratching their heads thinking maybe the Seb fans were right? Yes Russell didn't go on to win the race but he was fastest in all practice sessions, second in qualifying and the most bizarre pitstop error from the mechanics cost both their drivers a possible one, two finish. Yes the season was wrapped up by then but seeing something so careless from a team that is faultless was rather odd, sparking the odd rumour mill to suggest that Merc did this on purpose so people wouldn't question Lewis's credibility. 

While that is pretty juicy gossip, we won't really give that too much attention, but rather what next season holds in store and that is plenty of drama. The return of Fernando Alonso will be one, with him and Kimi being the oldest drivers in the pack, and many hope the dual between Vettel and Lewis re-ignites again, while us Ferrari fans sit and pray that Carlos and Charles get something decent to drive. Then there's always fun with the youngsters, thanks to the virtual races in March and April, many got close to the likes of Charles, George and Lando, so here's hoping to see more fun from those lot in 2022. Another big name signing into F1 is the Formula 2 champion given a seat at Haas but he has an all too familiar name with the sport, that is because he is the son of Michael Schumacher. Yes, Mick Schumacher joins F1 and looks to rebuild on his fathers legacy and here's hoping to more success for him. 

Whats the VAR?

So the new season of the Premier league is well under way with six games already been played and some or should I say a lot of surprise results since. Newly promoted Leeds United showed from day one that they were not here to make up the numbers but giving Liverpool a good run for their money in the opening fixture. The you have Aston Villa who were unbeaten until last weekend when they were well beaten by Leeds, this after thrashing Liverpool 7-2! So things in the Premier League aren't so straight and simple where you can deduce a clear favourite even after the first six games. While it did look like a straight two horse race again between Liverpool and Man City, the current table doesn't depict that at all, even Everton have raised their hand to be counted and currently sitting pretty at the top of the table on through goal difference. 

But this post isn't to talk about who we think is going to win, more rather what is going to determine the overall winner. VAR has been a major talking point yet again and while many rival supporters claim that the technology played a pivotal part in ensuring Liverpool's championship last season (I beg to differ), this year there can be no such argument with many controversial calls going against the Reds, in a number of games, most notably in the Merseyside Derby. First up was Jordan Pickford's late and rash challenge on star defender Virjl Van Djik. It was late, untimed and has ruled the player out of action for the rest of the season. Yes, there was a lot of hype made about this challenge but not because of the consequence of it but the ruling by VAR. In any circumstance, that sort of tackle would have been ruled as a red card offence, but the VAR deduced that the Virjl was offside so there was no reason to take further action because technically, play is stopped. After a major outcry. further investigation into the challenge by the FA concluded by them saying no action was necessary against the Everton goalkeeper. 

Any logical person with knowledge of the game can see what a dangerous tackle that was, I mean its got the player injured and out of action for the rest of the season and could very well cost Liverpool dearly in retaining the title. It seems the FA has taken their stance to back their VAR official instead of raising their hand and saying they got it wrong. What does that say about the integrity of the association though? Can players start fist fights when play is stopped because it "isn't part of play", where does one draw the line? The thing that got me more angry was Jordan Henderson's late winner being ruled out due to a hairline offside decision which did not make the slightest sense. Sadio Mane's elbow was adjudged to be offside in the build up. Now, with the new offside rules state that any part of the players body that can play the ball cannot be offside, last time I checked you cannot use your elbow to play the ball in football. It cost the team two vital points in the end. 

Then this past weekend, Liverpool's game against Sheffield United, Fabinho's tackle which was on the line was given a penalty, yes I understand the line belongs to the striker but it was really close, also that was a legit tackle where the defender won the ball yet in the earlier game with Chelsea and United, Harry Maguire was allowed to have a headlock on Azpilicueta in the penalty box when a corner was being taken. Clearly an offence that should have resulted in a penalty for Chelsea but again, VAR seemed there was no offence. The match ended in a goaless stale mate and cost the Blues two points. So while I'm all for technology, it does not help if you have blithering idiots in charge of it or ones that don't know the rules of the game. They say these decisions tend to even themself out at the of the season but the rate I see things going, it is only going to get worse with more dodgy decisions coming. The FA claim the strikers are given the benefit of the doubt but that was again not shown when Mo Salah scored what would have been a contender for goal of the season against Sheffield ruled out, again by a marginal offside decision. 

As it is, with no crowds these games are tough enough on the players, we don't need these absurd decisions to hinder their confidence as well. 

We are Premier League Champions

At the risk of being called "unbearable" I decided to do this post exactly a week after Liverpool have lifted the much eluded Premier League trophy. Many would say it's arrogance, the rate which us Liverpool fans are behaving, yes there is a lot of that and I'm loving it, because of years of torture, hurt and being on the wrong end of many league jokes, we've finally got that monkey off our back and it feels so damn good! So allow us to bask in this glory, albeit a bit weird since we could not have our supporters in the stadium to cheer the team lifting the trophy, since we cannot have a parade which no doubt would have had close to a million people lining the streets of Liverpool to see, since we cannot celebrate in the pubs with a pint, so let us have this. Its been 30 years and with the team we got, I'm quite confident in saying it wont be another 30 till the next one, which is what has supporters of other teams cautiously worried. After going through numerous managers, some of which came close, Jurgen Klopp managed to do something they couldn't do, get us over the line and in what a fashion too. After finishing last season in second place on 97 points, just 1 behind the eventual winners, it seemed like it would have been another "came close but not close enough" seasons for us but the mentality he instilled in this group of players, to be better is nothing short of inspiring. At one stage, many feared Liverpool would never drop points, let alone lose a game!

Obviously that would have been a difficult task and our first defeat came against the most unlikely team in the league, it just spur'd the team to do better.  You can argue with this point all you like but the biggest threat against Liverpool this season was a virus rather than another team. When the league was stopped, Liverpool were a massive 25 points ahead of second placed Manchester City. Eventually in the end, City only amassed 81 points, the number of points Liverpool had at the time the season was paused? 82. Yes, Liverpool didn't even have to play another game since the restart and they still would have won so put that in your pipe and smoke it! The accolades just kept pouring in for the team and the players, with Jordan Henderson winning the FWA player of the season award, much to many bitter comments, if you watch Henderson over this season and saw what a commanding force he was on the field, you would understand why he got this accolade. His on field and off field performances never go unnoticed by the team and fans .Yes, he wont have the most goals, or the most assists but in creating play, going back to defend, giving 110% every time which ultimately got us over the line in very difficult games. His contribution has been outstanding and while many say he could never equal Steven Gerrard, he in his own right has now reached legendary status for the club. Heck, the guy has lifted 4 of the very highest ranked silverware in the past 13 months, so put some respect on his name for God sake! 

Jurgen Klopp was awarded the LMA Manager of the season trophy, another deserved accolade for someone who kept his promise to the owners, the club and fans. When he came in, he said he would get us this trophy, okay it took one extra year than he said but he damn well did it. Also what is interesting to note about this partnership Klopp has with the club and owners, is the level of trust they've bestowed on him, these days clubs are too quick to let go of managers who have a wobbly, fall short of achievements and with that, it shakes the whole system. The owners trusted Klopp, gave him time, didn't give him all the money in the world but lets face it, we didn't need it as Klopp is the type of manager that takes average players and shows them their true potential, I mean Gary Neville said it best, Jurgen takes 30 million pound players and turns them into 130 million pound players.  While the squad does change ever so slightly every season, the new additions always step up and show the reason Klopp brought them in. Last season Naby Kieta was finding his feet, battling with injury as most players do when first getting into Klopp's training methods but this season has stepped up and showed us what he can do, and I have the same confidence that Minamino will do the same next season for us. 

Coming back to the trust between owners and manager, this could be seen by other clubs and make them realise, maybe they should give their manager more time. Ole was having a dreadful season but ended up guided Manchester United to 3rd place, something even their own supporters would have said was far fetched back in December. It will definitely change the mindset and I think improve the way clubs are managed going forward, while it will spell bleak news for the media who are forever ready to see who will be fired next, it will be good for the game. Anyway, back to Liverpool, so you see guys, you have a lot to thank us for inadvertently, so I ask again, let us celebrate, it's been 30 years, let us have our glory, keep your snide remarks to yourself and let us have our time. It might be different but we still can celebrate none the less, also whether you like to admit it or not, Liverpool FC single handedly ruined 'Show Me Love' for every other supporter of another team in the league, you'd hate to admit it but we did, you saw that video, don't pretend like you didn't!

19

For a long time I thought this day would never come, after so many years of coming close but which ended as heart break I thought I would never see my beloved football club achieve the one trophy we wanted so badly, the Premier League but what I witnessed last night, what I felt last night, will live with me till the day I die. Liverpool didn't kick a ball, in fact the team were at a hotel, sitting on the deck watching Chelsea take on current champions Manchester City. The result of that match wasn't tremendously important as Liverpool would have secured the title in any case with them needing one more win in the last 7 games they had to play but seeing the team sat with each other, celebrating the way they did in the early hours of the morning felt so much better than them playing in front of an empty stadium. 

It hurts me writing this as I was meant to break my Anfield virginity this year, I had tickets to the game against Aston Villa which was scheduled to take place in April but due to a pandemic that's pretty much crippled the entire world I could not realise this dream. Knowing that I would have been there, sitting on the Kop, chanting for the Champions sends shivers down my spine but I have to wait a bit longer for that dream to become a reality. I'm sure it will be still as special and I read something on Twitter, that with borders being closed in England it is sort of poetic justice that the people of Liverpool get to celebrate this one by themselves. After all it's the city and its people who the club was born and molded to, we, the global fans should let them have their moment. 

Today is not a day to talk about our bitter rivals but rather to bask in the glory of what this magnificent team has achieved. They like many teams of the past have proven to always get up after you've fallen, do your very best and you will succeed. After falling short by just 1 point last season, no one could have predicted such a brutal onslaught for title glory by Jurgen and his men. They were devastating to any opponent, only losing once so far this entire season, being 23 points ahead of their nearest challenger. The stats are crazy, and as they were crowned champions of England last night, they did so by the biggest winning margin ever in the history of the league. This team is just incredible and to see the unity they have with each other off the field along with the symmetry they pose on the field, it's just a joy to watch. 

Jurgen Klopp said last night in a live TV interview where he was left in tears, that this one is for the fans and boy do we deserve it. We've waited 30 years for this moment and even with all that is going around at the moment, it still feels great to sit here knowing that Liverpool FC have finally achieved greatness. Seeing the team and the manager get the recognition they duly deserve is heart warming but seeing the fans lap up the celebrations is even better. This is a team for the ages, and when Jordan Henderson so deservedly lifts that trophy a loft, albeit in an empty Anfield, he can be sure that there will be millions around the world screaming when he does so. Many may say this is a "tainted title" or season with what has transpired but I think not, it's the one season that nobody will forget and be remembered for years to come, where the closest thing that came stopping Liverpool from winning their first Premier League title was a virus and not another team!

You'll Never Walk Alone

Project Restart 2020

This week saw "Project Restart" commence in the UK much to the joy of many football supporters worldwide which saw us go without our beloved sport for three months, that is longer than the summer break! Many Liverpool fans, like myself are breathing a sigh of relief that the English FA took the decision to try to conclude the season rather than end it prematurely in whatever fashion, be it null and void or award the title to Liverpool who look all likely to wrap the title up with just two more victories required to confirm their champion status. It's been a 30 year wait, so the additional 3 months have been frustrating to say the least, but it will definitely go down as one the most memorable league years in the history of the game.  The first game between Aston Villa and Sheffield United had everything, including a malfunctioning Hawk Eye which did not detect that the ball crossed the goal line which would have handed Sheffield United the lead and possible victory in that match. Referee Michael Oliver was not in a position to see if the ball had crossed the line and relied on the technology which failed the Blades on the day. The next game saw two heavy weights Manchester City take on Arsenal, after an injury that saw David Luiz summoned from the bench proved to be the downfall to the Gunners as the defender was the main culprit for the first and conceded a penalty and red card for City's second. A 3rd goal was added in injury time to add insult to injury to Arteta's men. While we may have to get accustomed to watching games in empty stadiums for the next 94 games, the addition of fan noises do prove to give you a semi feel of the real match day atmosphere via the tele but it definitely must be lacking for the players. With the uncertainty of the future of the virus, this could be how the 2020/21 season takes place to ensure fan safety. 

Formula One 2020

It hasn't been an ideal year for anyone in any form of way but with the world coming to grips with this deadly pandemic, it's good to see some sort of normality coming around. With most public gatherings either being banned or limited to a few number of people, we are also seeing sporting events given the green light with strict policies. One which is getting many excited is the go ahead for the new Formula One season, while we all are enjoying the eRaces with the drivers, nothing beats the real thing. FIA have released dates for the opening 8 races of the season, with some taking place at the same track over two race weekends, now I know it's not ideal but with the number of people involved in the teams and moving of equipment, it really is a recipe for disaster if one person gets infected. So at this stage we will just have to take what we can get, and lets be honest, with F1 the crowds are important to revenue but not that important to what we see on our screens. FIA has said that further races will be announced in the coming weeks for now we cannot wait for the 3rd of July when First Practice starts in Austria!

Grazie Vettel

"Grazei Ragazzi" a phrase we heard 14 times by Seb in his career at Scuderia Ferrari since he joined in 2015 as he won 14 races to date with the team. He was the golden boy of that era in Formula One, winning 4 titles with Red Bull Racing under the guidance of Christian Horner, Seb was F1's hottest property. Apart from Lewis, there was no young driver that came close to him. Sebastian being German looked like the ideal package for Ferrari, he had the mindset of a winner and the Italian German combination harked back to the Schumacher reign so it looked like a match made in heaven for the Italians. The Tifosi were of course over the moon with such a talented signing and looked like Ferrari could be back challenging and more importantly winning again. You see the last time Ferrari lifted the constructors title was in 2008, 7 years on and things were getting rather uncomfortable without any silverware. Little did they know at the time, the team would face further turmoil in their endeavor to get back to the top. 

Ferrari hoped with Seb there to help them, he could rebuild the team back to their glory days with Michael at the helm. The problem was, it wasn't just Michael who took Ferrari to the top, he had the help of Ross Brawn and Jean Todt along with a stellar team of experts to take Ferrari to the heights we saw them achieve. In 2015 it was still a case of finding their feet instead of starting to rebuild. There were good days but there were many bad days. Just when you think they had it all figured out, the wheels would come off the very next race. As a fan, watching it was frustrating and sad, imagine being a driver, one that was touted to emulate the great Michael Schumacher. He definitely had the skill set to do so, anyone who says otherwise would be considered bitter in my books. Even the likes of Lewis would admit this, Vettel needed the backing of the team and the bosses the way Lewis had it at Mercedes. People pin point to Vettel's errors in his last two seasons but rewind back to Lewis at Mclaren Merecedes where he was teamed up with Fernando Alonso, a persona that of a spoilt brat, wanting things done his way, he wanted to be the number one driver based on who he was, not that old Spanish bloke. Lewis then got his opportunity with the Silver Arrows, his team, that similar of the golden era of  Ferrari, with Niki Lauda brought in to give advice and priceless vision to the team and look what they managed to achieve. 

Seb needed that support structure, one that he never got at Scuderia Ferrari and one that was ultimately his demise. The last two seasons were not great for Seb, especially with the inclusion of a new kid on the block as his partner, a young hungry driver that wanted to show he has what it takes to compete for the top spot. He was a risk taker and mule for the team but this proved to be a better option to get the most out of the car. Seb was dealt the raw deal again which forced him into driving more recklessly and ultimately cost him in many races. Singapore 2019 was a race to relish though, Seb did things his way and while we can all go on about how LeClerc was hard done by the team, it was Seb strategy that paid off for him. Canada was not kind to Seb either, hard done by the stewards in the end and left a very bitter taste in the mouth of many. Personally I feel for the German, I never liked him at Red Bull because he was a rival at the time but there was no denying him his talent. Was he another driver that suffered the curse of Ferrari from the likes of Prost and Alonso? Perhaps he had another 2 more titles in him during those 5 years, it's a pity he didn't achieve that at Ferrari, with news of the two agreeing to part ways at the end of the year, it is very hard to see him even achieve a title this year, that is if we do get any races at all. I'd like to see him end his F1 career on a high though, so here's to hoping he does. 

Bucket Style: Adidas Predator Mutator

DEMONSKIN is a new breakthrough technology for adidas Football, made up of a textured spike layer on the Predator 20 Mutator upper. Informed by years of data-based research and testing, DEMONSKIN is the result of a computer algorithm being used to create an entirely new interface between boot and ball. DEMONSKIN spikes have been deliberately crafted to wrap the front and side of the boot in a formation that aligns to key contact points with the ball, combining to give players enhanced control and touch on the ball, whilst also promoting spin when striking.

Since its inception, the design of Predator has been informed by nature’s most dangerous creatures - symbolic of the powerful and dynamic tendencies that the boot instils in the wearer to give them an advantage over opponents. Taking cues from the extremes of nature, Predator 20 Mutator sees the boot’s iconic shape re-imagined further, with a striking silhouette centering on a high collar and low-cut front creating a sharp and streamlined design mutation. 

The new Predator 20 Mutator has been designed with maximum movement in mind. The silo features new outsole enhancing control zones, whilst the addition of high-performance polyamide-injected layers help stabilise movement further.

The boot offers a two-plate stud configuration that reduces weight and allows a 360 design where the upper material wraps under the foot. This construction, together with the Sockfit collar that locks down and adjusts to the unique contours of the wearer’s foot, ensures anatomical fit for support. The inclusion of Hybrid studs further amplifies the boot’s level of rotation and traction.

Ben Herath, adidas Football Design Director said, “When we launched the first Predator in 1994, it changed the game. Since then, we’ve been relentless in pushing the boundaries of innovation in its design, ensuring it remains at the forefront of football boot technology. Predator is more than just a boot. It is synonymous with iconic football moments, worn by greats of the game that in their own way have become mythological figures of the sport.

“For 2020 we wanted to unleash Predator to a new generation. We knew we had to create something completely different, go beyond evolution and deliver a new innovation, something that would intimidate opponents. DEMONSKIN is at the heart of this. It truly is a breakthrough innovation for us at adidas Football - something brand-new with tangible benefits to gameplay. This was evidenced in player testing, where many spoke of the immediate difference they felt with the ball at their feet.”

Made iconic by greats of the game like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Steven Gerrard, the legacy continues with a new generation of players making their mark. The all-new Predator 20 Mutator will be worn by Paul Pogba, Becky Sauerbrunn, Dele Alli, Marc-André ter Stegen and Tessa Wullaert.

DEMONSKIN will debut on Predator 20 Mutator and is also set to feature on goalkeeper gloves; empowering players with increased control and enhanced power on punched clearances. 

The fight for the pride of England

The fight for the English Premier League title kicked off last weekend and while most of the scores were rather predictable, it also showed the intentions of the front runners who are vying for the title. 

Last season's runners up Liverpool had the pleasure of being one of the first teams to kick-off the season with their newly promoted opponents Norwich being the other. It was all systems go for the team in red as they showed the former Championship side how the Premier League has changed since they were last in it as they score 4 goals in the first half to give the Reds a healthy lead at half time. It was more of the same from Liverpool in the second but for the Norwich keeper making 3 outstanding saves to keep the scoreline decent as they also managed to claw a goal back. Reds intentions were clear then, they were still hurting from missing out on the league by finishing just 1 point behind the champions so this season they intend to remedy that and hope to go one further. It was not all smooth sailing for Jurgen Klopp as he had to substitute his star keeper Alison in the first half after picking up a calf strain, the Brazilian is said to face up to 8 weeks on the sideline. 

Manchester City saw Liverpools 4-1 winner as a challenge and set about their title challenge with a 5-0 victory over West Ham, Raheem Sterling picking up a hat-trick set his sights early on that golden boot as well. Pep Guardiola's men were ruthless in front of goal and laid down the challenge to the rest of the league. This Man City team is definitely the one to beat, and with them strengthen their squad over the summer, it's only going to make things more competitive for others. They by all means the team to beat, so every opponent they face will try to get their scalp, whether they're successful or not, is another story. 

Spurs had a bit of a scare at home in their opening fixture against Aston Villa, with the away team taking the lead and keeping Spurs at bay, it took a long range effort from Ndombele to equalize and then two quick fire goals from their talisman Harry Kane to make the scoreline look more attractive to the home team. Mauricio Pochettino has still a lot to do if he wants to get his team in the position to challenge the top two. We would have expected more purchases from the London team seeing that their new stadium is now complete but there's been little new figures walking through the Spurs doors. 

Chelsea who were hit with a transfer ban, having their best player leave as well as their manager is now under the guidance of ex star player Frank Lampard. They didn't have the easiest fixture to start with, facing last seasons sixth place team, Manchester United. With Solskjaer cracking the whip at United, and bringing in defence reinforcements with the likes of Harry Mcguire, they were out to prove a point and for most part of it, Chelsea held their own but silly mistakes cost them dearly in the end with United scoring 4 goals in the latter part of the second half, a less than flattering result for Franks men who look to have a long season ahead for them. Their London rivals, Arsenal also made tough work of Newcastle as they scraped a one goal victory at St James Park, with Steve Bruce taking over from Rafa Benitez his team showed good strength against the Arsenal but narrowly missed out on getting a point from their first game. 

It's going to be an interesting season going forward, with City still the team to beat and the depth in their squad, Jurgen Klopp and Pochettino have a lot to do if they want to keep up with City, as it is their goal difference is already sitting at +5 so the catch up game has already begun. But as they say, the league is a marathon and not a sprint. With other teams looking to prove a point as well, it hopefully should make things more open in the middle. Either way, it is bound to be an exciting season ahead. 

incREDible

I sit here, still battling to find the words to express what we witnessed last night. Don't get me wrong, even though we were 3-0 down, there was still belief that we could do it. Every Liverpool fan had that feeling of hope and belief but to see it unfold was just magical. Anfield on a European night is a stadium like no other, we've heard the tales of the past, we witnessed for ourselves some of these incredible victories, Olympiakos in 2004, Chelsea in 2005, Dortmund 2016 but last nights win against Barcelona tops them all. The passion, the commitment, the fire and desire each and every player showed is just testament to that performance. When Jurgen took over four years ago, critics were out against him, criticizing his high intensity training regime, his rash and wild football style, last night we saw it bare fruit, in fact this whole season we saw what Jurgen envisaged for this team. 

On Monday night, after Vincent Kompany struck and incredible goal, handing Manchester City a slender one goal win over Leicester, it sank the hearts of all Liverpool supporters as we knew that virtually wrapped up the league for them and with a mountain to climb on Tuesday night, our teams displays this season would have no trophies to show for but Jurgen and the team had other plans for us. I'm a big critic of Divock Origi, while he might be a squad player for me he never seemed to fit into the Liverpool team that Klopp has built, I've been giving him stick every time he came on for us this season, but today I eat my humble pie. He scored two important goals for us last night, the first one was crucial, an early one that kick started the come back momentum, and the last one which was the key to sending us to Madrid in June. His play all round last night was magnificent, fighting for the long balls, pressing and keeping the ball up the pitch when it was needed, Klopp trusted him and he repaid him. 

In a game like that, you cannot pin point individuals, as that was a proper team effort but a word to our captain, Jordan Henderson, the one many fans wanted to see go for most of the season, last night proved why he still wears that armband. From the first goal, till the final whistle, he was there marshaling his troops, fighting for the ball, urging the team forward, never letting anyone drop their heads, that is what a captain does and that is why he will always be our captain. Even when his night looked over after he banged his knee, he came back on to fight till the end. He wanted to be there, fighting through the pain making sure his team gets over that line and they did. 

Emotions were at an all time high when that final whistle blew, the team standing in arms in front of the Kop will bring a tear to any supporters eyes. They were all in it together, the fans played just a big of a role as the team did last night. Their voices unsettled that Barcelona team and even with two former Liverpool players, they could do nothing. Praises after the game coming in from stars of the game, Csec Fabregas being one of them and ex managers of the game, Arsene Wenger and one that left me speechless was an interview with Jose Mourinho, his admiration of Klopp shows that he does appreciate good football when he sees it and isn't always a pompous arrogant jackass. The Barca players head home shook after what happened to them last night, but there's a lesson for everyone from this, something that we Liverpool fans always knew, never, ever write Liverpool off in Europe. 

You'll Never Walk Alone