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LIVERPOOL v BORO VIEW FROM THE HOME END
Red and White Kop is one of the top Liverpool fansites on the net with exceptional features and tons of useful information. Paul Miller, who runs the Spyin' Kop section of the site very kindly took time out give us an insight into what the Liverpool fans are thinking about their season and about today's game with Boro.
COB: You must be on a high at Anfield with one game to go to equal your club record of straight wins?
PM: Absolutely. Confidence at the moment is sky high and we feel as though no-one can touch us. We've played some of the best teams in the country in recent weeks, all of whom have walked away empty handed. Chelsea played a full-strength squad in mid-week and a team that cost over £150m and earning over £500,000 per week between them were made to look very very ordinary.
COB: What has been the secret of Rafa's success? What has be brought to the team that Houllier didn't?
Houllier has suffered unfairly from some really bad press. People very quickly forget that ten of his pliers(!) were on the pitch when we won the European Cup. Rafa the Gaffer has started in a similar vein to Houllier - a solid defence, talented centre midfielders and wingers tracking back to close down the opposition when we are ahead.
I think the main overall difference is that Rafa is a proven winner. Houllier put the systems in place that eventually led to the emergence of Henry, Viera, Barthez, etc at France, and eventually the World Cup and you can almost see the same thing happening at Anfield. GH didn't quite have what it takes to make the final furlong at either, and I think this is where Rafa might well take up the mantle.
The majority of "sensible" supporters are eternally grateful for what Houllier did - he rid the club of the rather embarrasing Spice Boy image and imposed a discipline not seen in many years at the club.
Where do Liverpool go from here? Can you realistically challenge Chelsea at the summit of the English game?
Why not? Reina said earlier this week that Chelsea are in sight, and we are closing them down. I agree with him. At the moment, we are flying. No team has broken us down in nine games and we hope to extend that to ten (no disrespect intended!). That is an amazing feat when you consider that our defence is probably our weakest point. Whether I believe we can challenge Chelsea, you only have to read Mourinho's comments in the press to realise he is rattled about the threat Liverpool pose to the domination he has bought. How often to you hear him on about Wigan, Portsmouth or Bolton?
Was the Champion's League win a one-off ar do you expect number six to be arriving in the near future?
The CL win was an amazing night! To come back from three down against arguably the best team in the world at that point was an unbelievable achievement.
We are not so blinkered as to expect that we will retain the title this year, but I think Rafa is putting the building blocks in place that may well mean we are serious contenders. He seems to understand the European game more than the PL at the moment, although you can visibly see his appreciation growing with each game.
It may well be that we can take a joint open-top bus tour and display both the CL and UEFA cups around the country!!
Which Middlesbrough players would you like to have in the Liverpool side?
James Morrison seems to be a fantastic prospect for the right wing. I'd love him to come and try his stuff alongside Gerrard, Alonso, Garcia, etc. I'm sure he could learn loads from the experience these guys have.
Otherwise, I think we could do with someone like Viduka up front. It's known that we have been misfiring this season, despite us creating loads of chances. To convert some of those I think would give the team a boost.
How is our old friend Bolo Zenden doing at Anfield?
He's out for the season - cruciate ligaments. Thanks for asking....
And finally, your prediction for tomorrow's clash...
2-0 to the home team: Crouch (2). Sorry, but I really can't see you disrupting our form at present.
That said, I think you pose our biggest challenge for many weeks, and I'm more nervous about today than I was about Chelsea. I have a great deal of admiration for your strikers and think this is your strongest suit. It will be a very stern test for Hyypia's positioning if he can combat the abilities of Yakubu and JFH. Carragher, I think, will be engaged to man-mark Viduka which I feel is testament to his (Viduka's) abilities.
Good luck, boys!!
And you can read the interview that we did for Spyin' Kop right here.
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