The Lowest Point in 15 years

A great deal has happened since I last blogged, and I have been avidly following every twist and turn expecting each one to end in a huge revelation I could offer an opinion on. Instead we find ourselves in a horrible state of limbo.

Owners
As our Player of the Year Pepe Reina neatly put it, a change in ownership is vital to Liverpool's progression. For all of Rafa's ills and annoyances, the element without debate is the uncertainty, the lack of actual investment and vacancy of direction provided by Messrs Gillett and Hicks. In taking on Martin Broughton to sell the club and act as a central figurehead whilst their worlds crumble around them, the club is officially up for sale. And judging by the conversations on the Kop, the 'I don't know' press conferences of Rafa Benitez, and the complete feeling of hopelessness and despair etched on the faces of Carragher, Gerrard and Reina this season - it cannot come too soon.

I will say however, that for all the desire in the world to get new owners, it must be 100% correct as we cannot bear another 3 years like this.

Benitez
I've not been a fan of Rafa these last few weeks - my turning point was the defeat to Reading, on the back of 6 months of bereft confidence that should have been turned around earlier. I've always been happy with his transfers, I've always believed that he loves the club, but have been befuddled by his tactics and man-management.

Right now a change in ownership is far more important as it immediately affects the players, the fans, the manager, the international footballing brand that is Liverpool and the ongoing history of the club. A change in manager only really affects a couple of those factors and he's done *enough* in the last few years to be given another chance within a proper club environment. when you rebuild a house you need to start at the foundations, not at the colour of the front door.

Gerrard
Recently I have heard fans call for Gerrard to be sold - to cash in on a great asset and move on. Those same fans need shooting.

Captain Fantastic, Mister Liverpool and in my opinion the greatest player to wear the red shirt, has not had a good season. He's been in and out of the team due to injury, openly admits it takes him a while to come back to form, and has then been saddled with an unstable and unconfident team within which to find his form. Put simply you do not sell your best players in order to be the best. A strong club would merely give Gerrard a rest and gentle route back into the team whilst replacing him with a player of equal stature. Like Chelsea can do with Ballack/Lampard, Man City with Tevez/Bellamy, even Tottenham have done this season with Defoe/Pavlyuchenko. Knee jerk reactions like these can make you pull a muscle yourself.