Liverpoool and Chelsea continue self-destruction

SAD STATE OF ANFIELD AFFAIRS
Hard to believe that this is the same Liverpool football club that dominated English and European football back in the 1980’s. The Anfield club were fabled for the manner in which they ran the club off the pitch as much as the exquisite football they played on it.

The latest comments from Rafa Benitez following Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Blackburn represents yet another sound-bite in the growing war of words between the manager, Hicks, Gillett and now Rick Parry.

The in-fighting at boardroom level seems all the more childish and unnecessary in the week the club remembers the Hillsborough disaster from 19 years ago. What would the great Bill Shankly make of it all?


GRANT OUT OF TIME
Avram Grant can do no right in the eyes of Chelsea fans at the moment. The chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” seem to constantly echo around Stamford Bridge these days. Last night’s demoralising 1-1 draw with Wigan will surely prove the final straw for the Israeli in a week neither Bruce Buck nor Peter Kenyon would publicly back their manager.

The decision to get rid of Jose Mourinho now looks to have backfired on the London club. Despite a Champions League semi-final with rivals Liverpool to look forward to the likelihood of Ballack, Drogba and even Lampard remaining Chelsea players beyond the summer looks less likely with each passing game.

Grant simply has to pick his team up and go for it in Goodison Park on Thursday night. He has nothing left to lose and should deploy Joe Cole, Anelka and Drogba from the start. Chelsea fans will not want to see Manchester United celebrating the Premier League title on their home ground, but it looks a distinct possibility as the Blue’s self-implosion shows little sign of abating.