YES to Champions League but NO Sex

Liverpool FC can count themselves lucky to be in the Champions League group stages after fending off Standard Liege by an extra time Dirk Kuyt goal.
It was no big secret that Stevie G was carrying a minor groin injury but LFC have now announced that it will have to be operated on later today. This means he'll be out for about 10-15 days, I'm sure Gerrard must be feeling pissed off at the prospect of going without sex for a couple of weeks, but it's an option I hope he goes for. I'm sure the missus will understand if it means you get to Rome.

Stoke City3 Aston Villa2

Mamady Sidibe was the hero as Stoke claimed their first ever Premiership victory with a last minute winner against Aston Villa.
Hosting their first game in the top division for 23 years, twice had their lead pegged back by a much-fancied Aston Villa team yet finally, thrillingly, won the game with the last move of the afternoon, deep into injury-time.
(i know its old news but i'm trying to catch up)

Keane & Barry join The SS Liverpool

Is Robbie Keane worth £20million? Well Benitez seems to think so. He looks like the best bet to partner goal machine Fernando Torres since the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Peter Crouch and Andriy Veronin have all failed to gel. I'm sure that Keane will do alot better to add to the firepower to challenge for the premiership but kinda pricey for a 28 year old.



Gareth Barry's transfer to Liverpool finally looks like going through after the Anfield club came up with the money to secure his move from Aston Villa.
The longest-running saga of the summer has reached a confusing climax after an earlier statement that he was staying at Villa Park.
Sportsmail understands that the mix-up was due to a deadline being missed by 20 minutes, and the transfer will finally be concluded on Thursday.
Villa will receive a £17.5million fee plus right back Steve Finnan in exchange for a midfielder who will fulfil his wish to play in the Champions League this season after all.
The transfer has dragged on since May when Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez made it clear that Barry was his top priority.

Its interesting times at Liverpool FC and can't wait for the season to start as i believe the spanish boss is finally getting to grips with the premiership and getting the right players to challenge for the title. Pricey aqusitions but definetly better then the second grade unknowns who have previously come through Anfield.

No kidding, Stoke City FC join the EPL!

Just got back from a business trip down south and was a happy camper when my blackberry delivered the news Stoke 0 Leicester 0, THATS IT!! we are back in the top flight after 23 years. Stoke face a tough battle for survival and i concede that defying the odds and staying up next season will be a huge challenge.

I've waited 23 years to see this to worry about their chances of surviving the premiership. For now, all that's necessary is to celebrate one of the truly great achievements in Stoke City's history and look forward to next seasons fixtures with Stoke in the premier league playing Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool etc etc.

The critics will have already made us favourites for coming back down,well maybe we will but we can proudly say we have been there done that.Me personally I'm just going to enjoy the ride!

THE LONG WAIT IS FINALLY ALL OVER FOR STOKE :-)

REDS FAIL TO REACH CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

Chelsea advanced to the European Champions League final for the first time, with Frank Lampard returning from the death of his mother to score a penalty kick in a 3-2 overtime victory over Liverpool last night in London.

Liverpool was undone by their defenders, first leg it was Riise who scored an own goal and Hyppia gives away a penalty in the second leg. Enough said i'm all for replacing this pair as they have in my opinion gone past their expiry date. Still groggy from staying up for the game may have more to say later.

PS ,I'm going to look forward to this sunday and hope that Stoke City get that one point againts Leicester at The Brittania that will get them to the Premiership.

STOKE CITY FC 2008/09 NEW HOME KIT

Stoke City have revealed their new kit designs for next season and the traditional red and white stripes have been replaced by a shirt with fewer, but broader stripes.

The new look shirt features a predominant red stripe down the front, with le coq sportif's stylish blue logo on both the right hand sleeve and the right hand side of the chest.

The Stoke City club crest is positioned as usual on the left hand side of the chest.

Colchester United 0 Stoke City 1

The wait goes on for another week..... Stoke City moved a step nearer promotion to the Premier League with a narrow win over Colchester in what was the last ever game to be staged at Layer Road. Stoke City were five minutes from reaching the top tier of English football for the first time in 23 years, until Hull City scored a late winner against Crystal Palace.

They still lead Hull by three points, but their inferior goal difference means Stoke can still be caught on the final day of the season. Hull's win looks set to see promotion delayed, rather than denied to Stoke. The Britannia Stadium could yet see a party.

LIVERPOOL 1 CHELSEA 1

European Champions League Semi Finals First Leg
I'm nursing a headache from not enough sleep. Yup i stayed up to watch the game. Liverpool deservedly took the lead thanks to Dirk Kuyts tireless contribution.
John Arne Risse was brought in when Fabio Aurellio pulled a groin muscle. JAR finally ended his goal drought by heading in an injury time own goal to give Chelsea the edge for the return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Its going to be tough as the Reds have not scored at the Bridge since Rafa Benitez was in charge.

LIVERPOOL 4 ARSENAL 2

The Reds are thru to their third Champions League semifinals in 4 years with a 5-3 aggregate win over Arsenal.
Once again Chelsea are their opponents after they secured a 2-0 (agg 3-2) home win againts Fenerbache.

Liverpool was scrappy in the first half & i believe it was Arsenals tired legs which eventually gave way.Though the penalty awarded looked dodgy. However it was down to Liverpools tenacity & hunger that brought them thru.

Didn't get much sleep but i'm not complaining. Got an early morning sms from my buddy..."Which bottle?" and i replied "Any decent vintage will do buddy." YNWA

ADVANTAGE LIVERPOOL

Great result for Liverpool. 1-1 away in Emirates sets the rhythm in the first of this trilogy for next week. I only caught the second half,i vaguely remember much of the match except Arsenal were always in possession and attacking whenever i opened my eyes between my slumber. Overall Arsenal were the better side while Liverpool and Rafa Benitez some how must have made a pact with the Champions League Devil with the kind of results they get in this tournament. With the away goals rule its now advantage Liverpool but theres still plenty to play for. YNWA

LIVERPOOL VS ARSENAL

The Champions League has entered the next stage with only 8 teams remaining. Two big English teams have drawn each other, Arsenal take on Liverpool.

Champions League history is the making when Arsenal and Liverpool meet for the first time in this competition in their 115 year rivalry at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The Champions League quarter-final first leg will be the 200th occasion the sides have clashed and although they have faced each other in FA Cup finals and a title decider in the past, few of the previous encounters have had as much at stake.

A place in the semi-finals against Chelsea or Fenerbahce awaits the winners, with May’s final in Moscow looming just over the horizon.

Wednesday’s match is the first of three between the sides in seven days with a Premier League meeting at the Emirates on Saturday to follow before the return leg at Anfield on April 8.

Taking on a buddy of mine in this 3 match series where at stake will be 3 bottles of Barolo or Brunello's from a decent vintage. No matter who wins i know i'm going to have a good week. I love this game :-)

STOKE CITY FC estb. 1863

I like football just as much as the next guy which explains why i comb the net for the latest news to read. It's an addiction and i admit it. My introduction to English League football came about when my uncle Eddie gave me my first copies of "Shoot" magazine in the early 1970's. Back then the issues we got were like a couple of months behind so it was all old news by then. Anyways one copy had on the cover Stoke City 2 vs Chelsea 1 in the 1972 League Cup Final (the only major trophy the club ever won).

I don't know what attracted me (maybe it was their striped strip) to the club and to cut along story short i became a supporter. I still follow the clubs progress up to now even though i follow Liverpool in the EPL.
I have noticed some supporters from Malaysia leaving messages on the clubs website and fansites, so i guess i'm not alone.

I must say that it has been an agonising 2 decades of heartbreak and near misses whenever i read the little coloums in the the back pages of the newspapers. Where the results of The Potters games were like on a single line (this was before the time of the internet). Missing out on the playoff's last season on the last day was tough however this season is really exciting for us as we are right up there in the Coca-Cola Championships chasing for promotion to the Premiership. The team has got a dozen or so games to go and i'm keeping my fingers crossed they make it this season. The last time they were in the top flight was 1985.

Championship matches hardly get any air time in Malaysia and when they were drawn to play Newcastle Utd in the FA Cup this season was one of the rare occassions i got to see them in action. And we nearly upset them too!

I'm hopeful that its their year this season and that they will be right up there next season with the likes of ManU, Arsenal,Liverpool and Chelsea and give them a run for their money.